Aerial photo taken on Oct. 13, 2021 shows the container ship Libra of China's COSCO Shipping at Shanghai Yangshan Port, east China. (Xinhua/Fang Zhe)
SHANGHAI, May 18 (Xinhua) -- The Asian Shipowners' Association (ASA) has released the ASA Initiative 2023 in Shanghai, with a focus on greener and safer shipping.
The initiative was released at the ASA's 32nd annual meeting, which was held from Monday to Wednesday in Shanghai's Pudong New Area.
"In 2023, Asia will become a reliable growth engine and backbone for the global economy and trade," said Han Jun, assistant general manager of COSCO Shipping Group. The Asian and global shipping industries are facing multiple challenges such as emissions reduction and piracy, which require everyone to take proactive measures, Han said.
The ASA Initiative 2023 includes proposals to support the International Maritime Organization's emissions reduction targets and plans to safeguard the security and stability of international shipping corridors, and calls on ASA members to work together to combat piracy and armed robbery.
In 2018, the International Maritime Organization set a target of reducing the shipping industry's carbon intensity by 40 percent from the 2008 level by 2030, and a target of cutting total greenhouse gas emissions by 50 percent by 2050. ■
