China is involved in at least 21 green corridor initiatives, accounting for nearly a fifth of the global green corridor portfolio, according to a new report from the Global Maritime Forum. To put this in perspective, over half of the countries participating in the green corridor movement have five or fewer initiatives.
More than 75 stakeholders are involved in Chinese green corridor initiatives; green shipping corridors are defined as routes where commercial vessels operate using alternative, low-emission fuels, or other means of low-carbon propulsion.
However, of the 21 initiatives identified by the end of June 2026, 12 were at the initiation stage, five initiatives had made it into the exploration stage, three had reached the preparation stage and just one had entered the realisation phase.
The Australia-East Asia Iron Ore corridor is nearly operational, with the expected deployment of one ammonia-powered vessel later this year.
China’s leadership in green methanol and ammonia
The report, launched on October 21 at the Global Maritime Forum’s annual summit 2026 in Shanghai, said that China is an early and cost-competitive producer of green methanol and ammonia, is at the forefront of marine battery development, is highly engaged in cross-value chain collaborations, and is rapidly strengthening its policies related to green hydrogen.
In accordance with the report, the country is positioning itself as a leading supplier of three zero emission fuels and technologies central to the advancement of green corridors: methanol, ammonia, and electric batteries.
China’s strengths in methanol and ammonia cover both supply and demand.
In terms of supply, fuel projects under development in China are seeking to produce 30 million tonnes of green methanol and 15 million tonnes of green ammonia by the early 2030s. This represents more than 60% of green methanol projects and around 15% of green ammonia projects being developed globally.
China’s methanol bunkering capabilities
Meanwhile, more than ten ports have either established or are developing methanol bunkering capabilities.
Methanol bunkering volumes have increased rapidly, from under 540 tonnes in 2024 to 64,000 tonnes in 2025 and 100,000 tonnes as of mid 2026, signalling a move from pilot to full commercial scale operations, particularly in Shanghai, which accounts for 90% of this activity.
As is the case in many countries, the report reveals that customer demand for China’s zero-emission fuels is lagging behind the levels needed to match its potential supply.
Multiple opportunities for China to better mobilise demand
However, the report outlines multiple opportunities for China to better mobilise demand, including using policy mechanisms to close the cost gap and further advance infrastructure for methanol, ammonia, and battery electric ships.
“China has the opportunity to leverage its existing strengths across the building blocks to incentivise early adoption, foster collaboration, and develop necessary infrastructure,” said Jesse Fahnestock, director of decarbonisation at the Global Maritime Forum. “Even in the time since this report was finished, we’ve seen multiple announcements of progress in these areas, which is highly encouraging.”
Challenges related to green methanol, ammonia
Despite those advances, the biggest challenge is the cost gap. The report found that green methanol and ammonia are two to three times more expensive than conventional fuel at average prices, even with China’s advantageous prices.
Cargo-owner demand for zero-emission shipping
Survey evidence cited by the Global Maritime Forum suggests that 65% of cargo owners are willing to pay a premium for low-carbon shipping. The average premium they are willing to pay is around 3%. However, data shows significant variance in this, with some cargo owners unwilling to pay any premium, and others willing to pay up to a 20% premium.
The report calls for further advance infrastructure for methanol, ammonia, and battery electric ships, policy mechanisms to close the cost gap, measures to stimulate customer demand for zero-emission shipping, and clearer guidance from policymakers on the development of green corridors.
