The International Association of Ports and Harbors (IAPH) and the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) have formalised a new partnership to accelerate sustainability and improve coordination on shore power and port planning. Signed at the IAPH World Ports Conference in Kobe, the memorandum of understanding (MoU) establishes a framework for information sharing, technical collaboration and policy alignment between global ports and cruise operators.
The MoU focuses on five key areas: exchange of information on innovations such as onshore power supply (OPS) technology, energy management, and smart infrastructure; sustainability knowledge sharing through the IAPH World Ports Sustainability Program; voluntary alignment on environmental indices such as the Environmental Ship Index (ESI); coordination on regulatory engagement, particularly at the International Maritime Organization (IMO); and ongoing dialogue to share lessons and practical resources across different port environments.
Bud Darr, President and CEO of CLIA, said, ‘Partnership with ports is essential to our ability to achieve shared goals. We share the same waterfronts, the same communities, and the same need for reliable, secure, energy-ready operations. Working together makes us stronger, and that’s why this partnership focuses on what is required as we both work to advance our sectors closer to a net-zero emissions world.’
Patrick Verhoeven, Managing Director of IAPH, added that the agreement aims to achieve ‘reciprocal improvements in efficiency and sustainability for cruise lines, owner operators and the ports and terminals they use’. He said IAPH will draw on the expertise of its technical committees on Cruise, Climate and Energy, Data Collaboration and Risk & Resilience, alongside upcoming pilot projects, to generate tangible benefits.
The partnership formalises and strengthens collaboration between ports and cruise operators as they navigate a fast-evolving regulatory and technological landscape. Shore power has become a focal point for emissions reduction, with ports under pressure to invest in OPS infrastructure and operators seeking clarity and consistency in availability and standards.
The move follows IAPH’s recent collaboration with the Global Centre for Maritime Decarbonisation (GCMD) to support low- and zero-carbon initiatives across ports, underlining the association’s role in shaping the next phase of the maritime energy transition. The agreement, signed in Kobe, was presented as a step towards more effective port planning through stronger cross-sector partnerships and coordination to ensure investments align with decarbonisation goals.
For the cruise sector, which faces growing scrutiny over emissions in port communities, the partnership offers a structured channel to share operational data, align on sustainability tools and engage with regulators more cohesively. For ports, it presents an opportunity to shape how cruise terminals and associated infrastructure can support broader carbon-reduction strategies.
