Valencia and Santos: a green maritime corridor
At Panama, the port authorities of Valencia and Santos signed an agreement under the Global Gateway Green Shipping Corridors and Hubs initiative.
The agreement establishes cooperation with shipping companies, freight forwarders, energy suppliers, and research centers to strengthen the APV’s decarbonization strategy, as outlined in its Zero Emissions Plan.
The signing took place at the International Maritime University of Panama during the Regional Workshop of the Global Gateway Green Shipping Corridors and Hubs (GGGSCH) – Latin America and the Caribbean. Key signatories included Mar Chao, President of the Port of Valencia, and Beto Mendes, Interim President and Chief Operating Officer of Santos Port Authority. Also present were Félix Fernández Shaw, Director for Latin America and the Caribbean at the European Commission’s Directorate-General for International Partnerships (DG INTPA), and Isabela Matusz, representative of the Panama Delegation.
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The memorandum of understanding focuses on establishing a green maritime corridor aimed at promoting the decarbonization of shipping between Europe and South America and intensifying long-standing cooperation between the two ports.
Mar Chao stated that the Santos-Valencia corridor strengthens the decarbonization strategy and will enable coordinated actions to promote the use of low- or zero-emission fuels, provide shore-side electricity to vessels, electrify terminals, and improve logistics efficiency through advanced digital technologies. The Port of Valencia concluded 2025 with the presentation of its Net Zero Emissions Plan, which includes a €900 million investment in energy self-sufficiency infrastructure and a climate adaptation plan.
This project is a key step toward building net-zero logistics chains and represents a milestone in international cooperation for the energy transition in maritime transport. Both Valencia and Santos have ambitious decarbonization goals: Valencia aims to achieve climate neutrality by 2035, while Santos is strengthening its position as a leading green hub in Brazil and across Latin America.
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Beto Mendes explained that this initiative aligns with Santos’ Energy Master Plan and strengthens technical and institutional cooperation between the two ports, contributing to the development of sustainable and innovative global solutions. Decarbonization will undoubtedly transform the port system through strategic energy planning. Santos is currently the leading port in South America in terms of import and export traffic for Valencia. The creation of the green corridor will reinforce the position of both cities as strategic gateways for trade between the two continents.
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The initiative is part of the Global Gateway strategy, the European external investment program aimed at strengthening strategic partnerships and accelerating the transition toward more sustainable and competitive maritime transport, with particular focus on Latin America and the Caribbean. Specifically, it promotes the adoption of sustainable fuels such as liquefied natural gas (LNG), biofuels, green methanol, green ammonia, and hydrogen, as well as carbon capture and reuse technologies.
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