SMARTDEC: Supporting the Decarbonisation of Maritime Transport

On September 23, 2025, Green Marine (GM) and Green Marine Europe (GME) were invited to the workshop “Navigating the Green Transition: Joining Efforts for Sustainable Shipping”, held in Brussels ahead of the Green Shipping Industry Day 2025.

This event, coordinated by the Conference of Peripheral Maritime Regions (CPMR) — a supporting member of GME — brought together institutional, industrial, and maritime stakeholders around a shared goal: accelerating the ecological transition of maritime transport along the Atlantic coast.

A European Dialogue on Ports and Maritime Decarbonisation

The discussions highlighted key levers to strengthen the role of regional ports in maritime decarbonisation.
Speakers emphasized the importance of supporting small and medium-sized ports - often overlooked by national policies yet essential to the economic vitality of coastal territories.

The need for investment in retrofits, innovation, and training was also underscored, along with the call for clearer frameworks for funding and certifying green initiatives.

SMARTDEC: Greening Atlantic Maritime Transport Through Transatlantic Cooperation

The workshop was part of the European project SMARTDEC (Smart and Decarbonised Port Ecosystem), funded by the Interreg Atlantic Area program.
SMARTDEC aims to accelerate the decarbonisation of maritime transport in the Atlantic region by strengthening cooperation between ports, public authorities, and economic actors.

The project focuses in particular on the adoption of low-emission technologies and the development of governance and assessment tools to support the sector’s transition.

During the workshop, the transatlantic dimension of maritime decarbonization was explored through discussions on the potential to develop green corridors across the Atlantic.
The Québec region, a CPMR member, attended to share its ambitious initiatives in maritime decarbonization.

This shared ambition to reinforce ties between European and North American maritime ecosystems aligns perfectly with the mission of Green Marine and Green Marine Europe.

At the Green Shipping Industry Day that followed, Élise Wattrelot, representing the CPMR, presented the latest progress of the SMARTDEC project - notably the "made in EU Atlantic" sustainable shipping solutions selected by the project, which will benefit from an acceleration program. She illustrated the collaborative momentum uniting the North American and European maritime communities in their transition toward a low-carbon future.

👉 Learn more about the project: smartdec.eu