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The Philippines, Association of Southeast Asian Nations, and Australia are stepping up cooperation on maritime decarbonization
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At the ASEAN Future of Maritime Conference 2026, representatives focused on advancing sustainable shipping through investment, innovation and workforce skills
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On the part of the Philippines, the Department of Transportation, Philippine Ports Authority, Maritime Industry Authority and Philippine Coast Guard are working to establish the country’s greenhouse gas emissions baseline for the maritime sector
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Philippine Transport chief Giovanni Lopez called for stronger ASEAN cooperation and partnerships with Australia to support maritime decarbonization
The Philippines, Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), and Australia have stepped up cooperation on maritime decarbonization, with the country hosting the ASEAN Future of Maritime Conference 2026 to advance investment, technology, and skills development in the sector.
The Department of Transportation (DOTr) co-hosted the conference with the ASEAN Secretariat and Partnerships for Infrastructure (P4I), Australia’s infrastructure development program in Southeast Asia.
The conference gathered government officials, maritime experts, investors, and industry stakeholders from ASEAN and Australia.
Discussions centered on creating sustainable fleets, cutting port emissions, enhancing regulation cooperation, and building workforce skills for maritime digitalization and the green transition.
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On the part of the Philippines, the DOTr and its attached agencies – the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA), the Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA), and the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) – are working to establish the Philippines’ greenhouse gas emissions baseline to support a long-term transition toward a decarbonized maritime sector.
DOTr secretary Giovanni Lopez said regional cooperation and bilateral partnerships will be necessary to meet the maritime sector’s environmental and economic objectives.
“To achieve these goals, we need the collective action among ASEAN Member States and strong partnerships with countries such as Australia. We must continue to demonstrate solidarity and work together in pursuit of our shared aspirations. This is in our collective interest, and it is something we owe to future generations—a better future, a higher standard of living and improved quality of life for all our people,” Lopez said in a statement.
Australian ambassador to the Philippines Marc Innes-Brown said the two countries’ maritime cooperation is expanding as they mark 80 years of diplomatic relations.
“As Australia and the Philippines celebrate 80 years of diplomatic relations, our maritime partnership continues to grow. Together, we can ensure the maritime transition delivers stronger connectivity, greater competitiveness and shared prosperity across our region,” he said.
Australian ambassador to ASEAN Tiffany McDonald said the conference was timely as the Philippines leads ASEAN this year under the theme “Navigating Our Future Together.”
“This conference is particularly timely during the Philippines ASEAN Chairship Year under the theme Navigating Our Future Together. This reflects the Philippines leadership in advancing maritime cooperation and contributes to ASEAN’s broader goals of economic integration, resilience and sustainable growth, goals that Australia supports,” she said.
During the opening session on the region’s decarbonization efforts and the transition to green shipping, DOTr assistant secretary for maritime and Philippine representative to the ASEAN Senior Transport Officials Meeting Villamor Ventura Plan said the shift toward lower-emission maritime transport would require investment and cooperation.
“This transition presents challenges, but also opportunities—to modernize our fleets and ports, improve efficiency, strengthen resilience, develop new skills and capabilities, and deepen regional cooperation. Let us continue to work together to ensure that ASEAN’s maritime transport sector remains connected, efficient, resilient, and increasingly sustainable, supporting the region’s development for many years to come,” Plan said.
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