context: The PRC is making a play for greater influence on global shipping through the United Nation's International Maritime Organisation. A Permanent PRC mission to the agency was established in November 2025. The PRC is currently competing with Belgium and Chile to be home of the agency's permanent secretariat. A likely part of its agenda would be passing the zero-carbon framework, which has stalled due to obstruction from the United States.
Shanghai published a draft of its 15th 5-year plan for accelerating the development of a world-leading green shipping centre. The plan identifies green methanol and SAF (sustainable aviation fuels) as core levers for the low-carbon transition and sketches a clear pathway for green upgrading in Shanghai's shipping sector, outlining
- setting higher requirements for the development of green methanol
- enhance storage and bunkering capacity for green methanol
- promote scaled application of methanol-powered vessels in inland waterway scenarios
- this extends green methanol use from ocean going vessels to inland shipping
- building a green fuel bunkering and trading system
- establish green fuel bunkering and trading centres
- participate in the PRC's own international certification system for sustainable marine fuels
- where global standards for green fuels are not yet unified, Shanghai aims to gain a voice in global rulemaking and remove certification barriers for domestic green methanol products
- accelerating construction of green shipping corridors
- Shanghai Port has already partnered with major international ports such as Los Angeles, Hamburg and Melbourne
- this will help Shanghai build an international standards system for green shipping
- promoting application of SAF
The plan addresses core bottlenecks in Shanghai's green shipping transition
- high costs of new fuels
- insufficient industrial support
- underdeveloped standards and norms
- lack of specialised services
In reply, the plan constructs an integrated framework that fills gaps in support for green methanol and SAF, but strengthens Shanghai's voice in the global market for green marine fuels through new trading platforms and engaging in international certification systems.