June 8, 2026, marks the 18th World Ocean Day. COSCO SHIPPING was born from the ocean and prospers with the sea; therefore, we deeply recognize that every gift from the ocean deserves to be reciprocated with our wholehearted conservation efforts.
We Slow Down to Make Way for Whales
Every year between April and November, endangered blue whales, fin whales, and humpback whales migrate to the California coast to forage. However, these waters also happen to be one of the world’s busiest shipping lanes, where high-speed vessels can pose a lethal threat to these marine mammals.
COSCO SHIPPING’s choice is straightforward: “slow steaming.” And for this, COSCO SHIPPING once again received the Sapphire Award from the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) for the “Protecting Blue Whales and Blue Skies” Program in 2025. This award requires that vessels achieve over 90% of their nautical miles within speed reduction zones at speeds not exceeding 10 knots.
“Slow steaming” implies extended voyage times and increased costs, but with every 1-knot reduction in speed, the probability of whale strikes decreases significantly, and vessel emissions are also reduced accordingly. Born from the ocean, we must protect the sea as we sail—this is COSCO SHIPPING’s commitment to marine life.
We Adopt Green Fuels to Ease the Ocean’s Burden
Speed reduction is a gesture, but changing the energy source is the fundamental solution.
You may not know that kitchen waste, animal manure…these once-discarded wastes have now become the “green rations” for giant vessels. COSCO SHIPPING took the lead in developing green methanol as a marine fuel years ago, utilizing biogas generated from waste fermentation, which is purified and converted into low-carbon fuel. The closed-loop chain of “waste - fuel - power” transforms pollutants into clean energy.
Compared with traditional fuel oil, green methanol can reduce carbon dioxide emissions by approximately 15%, producing almost zero sulfur oxides and particulate matter. Currently, COSCO SHIPPING Holdings has built the largest and most comprehensive methanol-powered fleet in China by scale and vessel type; COSCO SHIPPING Heavy Industry has achieved a world-leading level in methanol vessel construction and conversion; and China Marine Bunker has realized methanol bunkering capabilities from pilot to normalized operations, along with a methanol bunkering network covering both the north and the south.
Waste is no longer a burden on land, but a clear energy blessing for the sea.
We Harness Solar Energy to Generate Power at Sea
It is not just fuels that can change; sunlight can also be harnessed.
MV YUAN HAI KOU, China’s largest marine PV-powered pure car and truck carrier (PCTC), is a true green power plant. Its deck is covered with high-efficiency photovoltaic panels, with a peak output of 302.8 kW, equivalent to a medium-sized ground-mounted PV power station. Under intense sunlight, the PV system provides auxiliary power to the vessel, generating 410,000 kWh of electricity per year, and reducing the carbon emission intensity by approximately 35% over its full lifecycle compared to traditional vessels.
On inland waterways, the 700TEU “LV SHUI” series pure electric vessels have safely sailed nearly 70,000 kilometers, obtaining China’s first greenhouse gas emission reduction certificate for domestic trade vessels. Building on this foundation, COSCO SHIPPING launched the Hi-ECO E-vessel green transport service system, enabling the standardization, quantification, and traceability of zero-carbon transport.
COSCO SHIPPING’s roots are anchored in the ocean. This blue domain provides us with shipping lanes, ports, and opportunities, while simultaneously entrusting us with a profound responsibility. Today is World Ocean Day, but “safeguarding the blue and striving for strength at sea” has never been limited to just today. Allowing whales to swim freely, keeping the seawater as clear as ever, and ensuring every voyage leaves no regrets—this is COSCO SHIPPING’s everyday commitment.
