St John’s set to be first ‘green’ port in Caribbean

The Antigua and Barbuda Port Authority and zero emission ship developer Veer Group have signed an MoU to support the decarbonisation of ocean going shipping.

The MoU envisages fully decarbonising the port of St John’s in the northwest of Antigua and includes fast tracking the development of a zero emission green hydrogen and wind powered container vessel to operate from St John’s.

While the MoU has not been made available, details reported by local media include a green hydrogen production, storage and fuelling hub for ship bunkering and the supply of clean shore-based power for vessels while docked.

The possibility of a training academy for green hydrogen in shipping also has been mooted.

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With this St John’s could become a potential regional hub for zero emission shipping in the eastern Caribbean.

“If Antigua and Barbuda becomes the known refuelling station for green hydrogen, this can become either a trans-shipment hub or a refuelling hub, especially for cruise vessels and large yachts,” said Antigua and Barbuda Port Authority manager, Darwin Telemaque.

“Shore power is another critical factor. For Antigua and Barbuda to be able to say yes, we will offer clean shore power, vessels and major cruise lines or shipping companies that are mandated to reduce their carbon emissions will almost have no choice but to come here. And that's a massive opportunity.”

The MoU has received the approval of the Prime Minister Gaston Brown.

Danielle Southcott, CEO of the Veer Group, adds that to receive this endorsement is an honour.

“Antigua and Barbuda has now positioned itself to become the known refuelling station for green fuel, in line with the International Maritime Organisation legislation which will be coming into effect in October.”

Like the other Caribbean islands, Antigua and Barbuda have been heavily reliant on imported fossil fuels but numerous initiatives are under way to transition away from these, particularly with solar, which accounts for about 13% of the installed capacity (in 2023, according to IRENA data) – allbeit some way off from the 86% by 2030 target in its 2021 NDC.

Veer, based in the Bahamas, reports having received approval in principle for its vessel from the American Bureau of Shipping and to have secured €50 million ($58 million) in financing towards the construction of the first two, due to be 100m in length.