Juren Ae, a new sailing freighter for the Marshall Islands
At the Asia Shipbuilding Yard on Geoje Island, Korea, the SV Juren Ae was christened: the first wind-powered Pacific Island Sailing Supply ship for domestic sea transport in the Marshall Islands and the Pacific region.
This major achievement was made possible by the collaboration of the GIZ Low Carbon Sea Transport project and several partners, including the University of Applied Sciences Emden-Leer (HEL), the Marshall Islands Shipping Corporation (MISC), Asia Shipbuilding, Kostec and other national partners committed to sustainable shipping solutions in the Republic of the Marshall Islands.
Sustainable development aid
The Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) is a German development aid organisation working for a sustainable future worldwide. GIZ was already doing a lot ‘on land’; several aid projects are running in Africa, which are actively supported by GIZ, with its own project leaders in the region. Supporting a maritime project is a relatively new extension of the projects programme.
The Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI) relies on maritime transport for economic activity, connectivity and resilience. Connectivity, especially for the remote islands and atolls, is vital for citizens’ access to services and socio-economic opportunities. Maritime transport also provides education, health, environmental and economic development and plays a role in mitigating the effects of climate change.
Sustainable transport as an explicit objective
Since the RMI depends almost entirely on imported fossil fuels, the cost of such services is high and weighs heavily on national and household budgets. A shift to renewable energy sources could ease this burden and provide the country with more inclusive and sustainable economic growth.
The RMI is a world leader in climate change action and the only country that has explicitly included domestic maritime transport in its Nationaly Determined Contributions (NDCs). In December 2020, the country set a target to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from domestic shipping by 40 per cent by 2030. The comparison levels were those of 2010. Full decarbonisation should be achieved by 2050.
Broad-based project
By making RMI’s sea transport greener and increasing energy efficiency, the project will help the country make its nationally determined contribution. Ultimately, this will reduce transport costs and benefit government agencies, private companies and the people of RMI.
The project introduces a wide range of climate-friendly solutions. One is to develop and test low-carbon propulsion technologies in collaboration with partners. Other steps include educating and training ship crews and researchers and using modern energy-efficient sailing technologies and renewable energy. The project consists of two phases. First, it works with partners to assess the fleet’s economic efficiency and emissions. The resulting baseline data will be used to develop and analyse different low-carbon propulsion technologies for all shipping needs.
The Juren Ae is the capstone of the project, bringing together all the activities. Besides these activities, the project also provides policy support to the RMI government for the duration of the project. This includes climate negotiations at the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) and the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).
Traditional name
The name “Juren Ae” is Marshalles and refers to one of the main paddles of the traditional outrigger canoe that has been used for centuries in the atoll nation, steering ships in the desired direction.
The event was attended by senior politicians, including the Marshalles delegation, comprising Transport Minister Kendall, Education Minister Bejang and his wife Mrs Mary Bejang, who gave her blessing as the ship’s godmother, and Project key stakeholder Ambassador Albon Ishoda, who has also been appointed Special Envoy for Maritime Decarbonisation.
The Juren Ae, with its sturdy hull and large sails, carries more than just cargo and passengers. It reflects stories of resilience that save up to 80% in CO2 emissions compared to the rest of the MISC fleet.
More information can be found at the source: the GIZ website.
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