- Mauritius has joined the IMO CARES Maritime Technology Global Challenge, aiming to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from shipping and domestic ports in Africa and the Caribbean.
- Anton Rhodes, IMO CARES Project Director, expressed excitement over Mauritius’s participation and emphasized the broader platform it provides for assessing decarbonization solutions for ports in Least Developed Countries and Small Island Developing States.
- Challenge winners will receive between USD 15,000 and USD 30,000 each, along with technical support, and additional funding of approximately $500,000 will be made available for demonstrating the winning technologies within each participating country.
Mauritius has recently been announced as the fourth participating country in the IMO CARES (Coordinated Actions to Reduce Emissions from Maritime Transport) Maritime Technology Global Challenge. This initiative aims to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from shipping and domestic ports in Africa and the Caribbean by inviting technology providers to propose market-ready decarbonization technologies.
The addition of Mauritius to the challenge is significant, as it joins Namibia, Saint Kitts and Nevis, and Trinidad and Tobago in this important effort. The Mauritius Port Authority is particularly interested in solutions that can help reduce emissions from its ports, aligning with the country’s commitment to sustainability through the Mauritius Green Port initiatives.
Anton Rhodes, IMO CARES Project Director, expressed his excitement about welcoming Mauritius as the second African country in the global maritime technology challenge. He emphasized that their participation will provide a broader platform for assessing suitable decarbonization solutions for ports in Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and Small Island Developing States (SIDS). This will pave the way for other ports in the region to have greater confidence in existing methods for reducing GHG emissions.
The challenge winners are set to receive between USD 15,000 and USD 30,000 each, along with technical support to develop detailed proposals on how their technological solutions can contribute to greening national maritime and port sectors in the four participating countries. The announcement of challenge winners is expected in March, with full proposals due by June 2024.
Furthermore, additional funding of approximately $500,000 will be made available at a later stage for demonstrating the winning technologies within each participating country under the Global Network of Maritime Technology Cooperation Centers (MTCC) project.
According to informed sources. This initiative demonstrates a concerted effort by these countries to address environmental concerns related to maritime transport. By embracing innovative technologies aimed at reducing emissions from shipping and port operations, they are taking proactive steps towards sustainable practices within their maritime sectors. With ongoing support and collaboration through initiatives like IMO CARES’ Maritime Technology Global Challenge, these countries are poised to make significant strides in mitigating climate change impacts within their regions.
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