North Sea Minister Paul Van Tigchelt signed a cooperation agreement with UK Maritime Minister Charlotte Vere on Friday.
The agreement mainly concerns Green Shipping Corridors. Port security was also on the agenda, with a visit to the port of Antwerp.
"Belgium and the United Kingdom want to focus together on environmentally-friendly transport routes between British and Belgian ports," explained the new minister, Paul Van Tigchelt. "Our country has played a pioneering role for many years in reducing sulphur and nitrogen emissions from ships."
The British minister also highlighted the excellent trade relations between the UK and Belgium. She also visited the CMB.TECH hydrogen filling station in the port of Antwerp, which is trying to help reduce CO2 emissions in international shipping.
At the end of 2021, the former North Sea Minister signed the Clydebank Declaration at the COP26 climate summit in Glasgow. Along with 23 other countries, Belgium is committed to creating 'Green Shipping Corridors': shipping routes between two or more ports, on which at least one zero-carbon-emission ship travels. A minimum of six routes should be operational worldwide by 2025.
"Today we made a commitment to work with the UK to create green corridors between our two countries," Van Tigchelt explained. "Short, regular journeys are particularly suited to the use of alternative fuels."
The aim is to increase the number of ships and number of routes by 2030.
