At the Global Gateway Forum in Brussels today, the European Commission announced significant progress in the Global Gateway Green Shipping Corridors (GGGSC) initiative, a flagship initiative aimed at fast-tracking the decarbonisation of the maritime sector while promoting global cooperation and equitable growth.
The Global Gateway Forum featured the announcement of pivotal agreements aimed at contributing to the establishment of green shipping corridors worldwide:
- A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Port of Algeciras in Spain and the Panama Canal Authority to develop a digital and green Shipping Corridor;
- A forthcoming Letter of intent (LoI) to be signed between the European Union and the Republic of Chile to collaborate on the establishment of the first green maritime corridors connecting Chilean with European ports.
European Commissioner for International Partnerships Jozef Síkela said: “Maritime shipping is the backbone of global trade, but also a major source of CO₂ emissions. Its transformation is essential to achieving our climate goals. By strengthening cooperation between ports, nations, and international organisations, we are showing how innovation and digitalisation can drive sustainability and deepen strategic partnerships worldwide. The Global Gateway Green Shipping Corridors initiative embodies our vision for resilient, inclusive, and climate-neutral trade routes that enhance economic competitiveness while protecting our planet for generations to come.”
Maritime shipping accounts for nearly 3% of global greenhouse gas emissions, making it a significant contributor to climate change. As one of the world’s most interconnected industries, maritime shipping faces unprecedented challenges in its transition toward sustainability. The shift to renewable and sustainable fuels and technologies involves complex dynamics, including regulatory inconsistencies and significant investment hurdles. The GGGSC aims to contribute towards the harmonisation of these efforts.
The decarbonisation of the maritime sector is not only about using renewable fuels, is also about use of new vessel and port technologies (e.g. dual fuel engines, innovative vessel technologies, decarbonisation of port operations) as well as digitalisation of the operations of the vessels and ports to improve their efficiency.
The collaboration between the Port of Algeciras and Panama, for example, is expected to improve the operational and environmental performance of a pivotal shipping route, while promoting digitalisation and sustainable fuels.
Likewise, the EU-Chile are working toward formalising their collaboration, which will feature an initial feasibility study marking the first steps towards creating green corridors between Europe and South America, supporting bilateral trade and clean transport solutions.
Background
Following a proposal by Denmark in 2023, the European Commission has spearheaded a collaborative approach, engaging EU Member States and private sector stakeholders to connect European ports with strategic global ports. The GGGSC is part of the EU’s broader Global Gateway strategy aiming to support sustainable and resilient global trade infrastructure. By fostering green maritime corridors, the EU seeks to contribute meaningfully to achieving global climate goals.
Global Gateway Forum
The Global Gateway Forum brings together an assembly of leaders from the European Union and across the globe, alongside key stakeholders from the private sector, civil society, thought leaders, financial institutions, and international organisations to promote global investment in infrastructure to deliver on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and sustainable growth and resilience worldwide.
Global Gateway
Global Gateway is the EU's positive offer to reduce the worldwide investment disparity and boost smart, clean and secure connections in digital, energy and transport sectors, and to strengthen health, education and research systems.
The Global Gateway strategy embodies a Team Europe approach that brings together the European Union, EU Member States, and European development finance institutions. Together, we aim to mobilise up to €300 billion in public and private investments from 2021 to 2027, creating essential links rather than dependencies, and closing the global investment gap.
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Details
- Publication date
- 10 October 2025
- Author
- Directorate-General for International Partnerships