At a ceremony at the IMO headquarters in London, H.E Suhail Al Mazrouei, United Arab Emirates (UAE) Minister of Energy and Infrastructure, and Knut Ørbeck-Nilssen, CEO DNV Maritime, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on establishing a new UAE Decarbonization Centre.
The Marine Environment Protection Committee’s (MEPC) 80th session last month showed that shipping is now on an accelerating path towards full decarbonization. However, the challenge of realizing this goal is complex and can only be achieved through a cooperative cross-industry effort.
The new UAE Maritime Decarbonization Centre, the new joint initiative from the Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure of the United Arab Emirates and Foundation Det Norske Veritas (DNV), is designed to put this collaborative focus at the center of sustainable decarbonization. It will work to connect stakeholders from across the maritime industry and beyond, to become a driving force for reducing green-house gas (GHG) emissions globally.
“The establishment of the UAE Maritime Decarbonization Center reflects our unwavering commitment to addressing climate change and promoting sustainable practices within the maritime industry,” said H.E Suhail Al Mazrouei, the UAE Minister of Energy.
“By collaborating with DNV, we aim to leverage their expertise and global network to drive innovation and accelerate the adoption of decarbonization technologies. The Center will play a pivotal role in advancing our national and regional sustainability goals, while contributing to the global efforts in combating climate change.”
“The Foundation Det Norske Veritas is driven by a desire to help society tackle major global transformations,” said Remi Eriksen, President and CEO of the Foundation Det Norske Veritas and DNV.
“The recent IMO decision to greatly strengthen international shipping’s emissions targets will spur the maritime industry to accelerate its transition. At DNV we deeply believe that cross-industry collaboration is vital to realizing this goal and are working to share our deep and broad industry expertise through maritime decarbonization centers in key regions of the world.
The founding of the UAE Decarbonization Center, in cooperation with the Ministry, is another significant milestone for the industry and we look forward to welcoming new partners in the future.”
The Center will take a multi-faceted approach, working on leading joint industry research programs, collaboration with governmental, industry, and academic stakeholders, and attracting and developing new talent to the industry. In addition, the Center will focus on programs that incubate and accelerate the development of new technologies and provide a centralized hub for information on decarbonization solutions.
The partners are planning to launch the Center at the beginning of 2024.
Photo credit: DNV. Left to right: Kitack Lim, Secretary-General, IMO; Knut Ørbeck-Nilssen, CEO of DNV Maritime; H.E Hessa Al Malek, Advisor to the Minister for Maritime & Transport Affairs, MOEI; H.E Mohamed Al Kaabi, UAE IMO Permanent Representative.
