Panama Canal Begins Transition to Become Carbon Neutral by 2030

巴拿马运河启动向2030年碳中和转型计划

“We at the Panama Canal are committed to sustainability, and therefore are laying the foundation, creating the tools, and identifying the changes needed to achieve efficiencies that will allow us as an organization to reach carbon neutrality. This is a fundamental strategy for the waterway’s long-term operation and sustainability,” said Panama Canal Administrator Ricaurte Vásquez Morales. “This process will build on our long-standing efforts to minimize our environmental impact, including encouraging customers to use clean fuels and reduce their carbon footprint.

巴拿马运河管理局局长里考尔特·巴斯克斯·莫拉莱斯表示：“为致力于巴拿马运河的可持续发展，我们正在奠定基础、开发工具并确定必要的改革方向，以提升运营效率，最终实现整个组织的碳中和目标。这对运河的长期运营和可持续发展具有根本性战略意义。”他特别指出：“我们将延续多年的环保实践，包括引导客户采用清洁燃料、降低碳足迹等举措。”

While the Panama Canal contributed to a reduction of more than 13 million tons of CO2 equivalent emissions in 2020 by offering a shorter route for ships in comparison to the most likely alternative routes, the waterway recognizes the importance of making its own operation carbon neutral by the end of the decade.

值得注意的是，虽然巴拿马运河凭借航线优势，在2020年已帮助全球航运业减少1300万吨二氧化碳排放（相比最可能的替代航线），但管理局仍将“2030年前实现自身运营碳中和”列为重要发展目标。

To kick off the transition to a greener Canal, the waterway purchased four electric vehicles as part of a pilot program that will collect data to inform the migration of the Canal’s entire fleet away from fossil fuel dependence. Part of its strategic decarbonization plan also includes tugboats and launches that use alternative fuels, the substitution of electricity production processes in favor of photovoltaic plants, the use of hydraulic energy, and ensuring that all facilities and infrastructure projects are environmentally responsible and sustainable.

为实现这一目标，运河管理局已启动多项绿色转型措施：采购四辆电动汽车作为试点项目的一部分；收集运行数据为逐步淘汰化石燃料依赖提供支持。其战略脱碳计划还包括：推动拖轮等作业船舶使用替代燃料；建设光伏电站，逐步替代传统发电；开发水力发电项目；确保所有设施和基础设施项目都符合环保和可持续标准。

The Panama Canal first began tracking its carbon footprint in 2013 to align its operations with the global objectives of reducing emissions to mitigate and adapt to climate change. Its plans to become carbon neutral were bolstered in 2017 with the launch of its Emissions Calculator, a tool that not only allows shipping lines to measure their greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions per route, but also strengthens the Canal’s analysis of the emissions produced by its own day-to-day operations.

巴拿马运河管理局自2013年起就建立了碳足迹监测体系，以推动运营符合全球减排目标，积极应对气候变化挑战。2017年，管理局推出“排放计算器”这一智能工具，为碳中和战略注入新动能。该计算器具备双重功能：一方面为航运企业提供精准的航线碳排放测算服务，另一方面帮助管理局深度分析自身运营产生的排放数据，从而实现更科学的减排决策。

To reduce its own impact, the Panama Canal has also taken steps to find ways to maximize its operational, and thus environmental efficiencies, whether by implementing water conservation measures or optimizing transits. Panama’s Maritime Single Window (VUMPA) has improved the efficiency and carbon footprint of transshipment procedures by streamlining logistics paperwork for international customers passing through the country, saving up to 3,260 hours and over 300,000 paper forms each year.

为降低运营对环境的影响，巴拿马运河管理局实施了一系列增效减排措施。在运营优化方面，通过创新节水技术和优化通航等方式，最大化提升了资源利用效率；在服务升级方面，推出的“巴拿马海事单一窗口”(VUMPA)系统大幅简化了国际客户的物流文书流程。数据显示，这一数字化改革每年可节省3,260小时的作业时间，减少30万份纸质文件的使用，有效降低了整体碳足迹。

In addition, the Panama Canal also joined on April 22, on Earth Day, the Declaration of the “50 First Carbon-Neutral Organizations”, an initiative led by Panama’s Ministry of Environment to integrate national efforts to accelerate measurable climate actions.

今年4月22日世界地球日当天，巴拿马运河管理局正式签署加入由巴拿马环境部发起的“碳中和先锋50”倡议。该倡议旨在汇聚政企多方力量，推动实现可测量、可核查的温室气体减排目标。

As part of the new national initiative, the Canal will develop an annual greenhouse gas inventory, as well as an action plan with measurable targets to reduce emissions. The Canal’s efforts will be factored into Panama’s National Determined Contribution (NDC), established by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), following the Paris Agreement.

作为这项国家新倡议的组成部分，巴拿马运河管理局将重点开展以下工作：一是建立年度温室气体排放统计核算体系；二是制定包含具体减排指标的行动方案。这些减排成果将直接纳入巴拿马根据《巴黎协定》向联合国气候变化框架公约(UNFCCC)提交的国家自主贡献(NDC)目标体系。

来源：https://pancanal.com/en/panama-canal-begins-transition-to-become-carbon-neutral-by-2030/

发表时间：2021-04-26

检索：严乐帆

翻译：徐慧聪

一审：王烨

二审：彭莉

三审：罗玲娟

上传发布：姜浩