The world's largest maritime exhibition, Marintec China, wrapped up in Shanghai on Friday, after showcasing a dedicated section on decarbonization in the shipping sector amid an increasing focus on introducing more green solutions across the industry.

The four-day event this year attracted over 2,200 enterprises from 16 countries and regions, and serves as a crucial platform to gather global innovation resources and promote decarbonization in the maritime industry.

Gong Kangkang, head of the Marintec International Organizing Committee, pointed to the efforts to advance the International Maritime Organization (IMO) net-zero framework, which aims to phase out fossil fuels from the maritime sector by 2050.

"Currently, we have entered the final stage of implementation with regard to the International Maritime Organization (IMO) net-zero framework. As the world's largest ship builder, China also needs a platform to bring together global resources to drive the process from research and development to the commercial application of decarbonization technologies," Gong said.

Although the vote on adopting the net-zero framework was postponed for a year after being rejected by the United States in October, the trend towards the green transition has continued to advance in the shipping sector, as shown by the latest innovations of global exhibitors at the event.

Everllence, a German auto and marine engineering manufacturer, presented its latest ammonia-powered engine, with the new model being unveiled just last month and slated for delivery next year.

"This year is a special year, I would say, because we see so much technology and so much change and that the shipping industry is pushing forward in terms of decarbonization. So, ammonia, methanol, all these green fuels and engines and technology which is needed, you can find it here. The technology is there, the technology is ready, when the regulations are popping in, we are ready to go for it," said Uwe Lauber, the company's CEO.

Meanwhile, the Shanghai Merchant Ship Design and Research Institute which operates under the China State Shipbuilding Corporation (CSSC), the world's largest shipbuilding group, showcased the "Green Energy Island," an integrated unit designed to handle all decarbonization needs at sea.

"In the future, a nearly zero-carbon solution is needed to cover both the production of ships and the entire logistics process. To meet this requirement, we have chosen to produce, store and resupply green fuel on a single offshore platform," said Li Xin, deputy dean of the institute.

In embracing the green transition, China has emerged as a major supplier in the global shipbuilding industry, with the green focus forming a key basis of the country's development plans in recent years.

"The entire shipping market is in a trend of becoming greener and smarter. We have upgraded our green solutions across all our ship products during the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-2025) period," said Chen Gang, chairman of Shanghai Waigaoqiao Shipbuilding, a CSSC subsidiary.

Chen added the company will launch new low-carbon products based on ongoing communications with its global partners to ensure they meet market demands and regulatory standards.