PortXchange joins SASHA Coalition on port emissions

PortXchange has joined the SASHA Coalition as its first member focused on port emissions and operational intelligence.

The maritime technology company will contribute port data and operational insight to the industry alliance, which represents companies developing sustainable shipping and aviation energy systems, including renewable hydrogen and zero-emission technologies.

The coalition advocates for policies that support the development and adoption of cleaner energy systems. Through its membership, PortXchange said it will seek to ensure ports are involved in decisions on policy, funding and infrastructure during the transition to zero-emission shipping.

Sjoerd de Jager, Managing Director and Co-Founder of PortXchange, said ports had an important role in connecting vessels, fuels, infrastructure, cargo and surrounding communities.

“Ports’ potential to drive climate action has been largely overlooked,” de Jager said.

“We will not achieve the emissions reductions needed, at the pace required, until all the actors across the value chain collaborate. That is why PortXchange is joining the SASHA Coalition: to bring the port perspective into the conversation and help turn zero-emission ambition into action.

“Cleaner fuels are essential, but producing them is only half the job. The transition has to work when it reaches the port. That means understanding where future demand is likely to emerge, where infrastructure will have the greatest impact and how those investments fit with real port operations.

“Ports are where vessels, fuels, infrastructure, cargo and communities meet. If the port perspective is missing, we risk building an energy transition that looks convincing on paper but struggles in practice.”

PortXchange’s EmissionInsider platform provides ports with visibility of emissions from ships, trucks, rail and terminal activity. The company said the platform can be used to identify emissions hotspots, assess reduction measures, plan infrastructure and support investment decisions.

The company will use its position within the coalition to argue that clean-fuel infrastructure planning should be informed by vessel activity, operational patterns and expected demand, rather than being considered separately from day-to-day port operations.

Sabrina Khan-Dighe, Membership & Advocacy Officer at the SASHA Coalition, said: “We will only see shipping on track for net zero when all actors are working together across the sector, and ports’ importance as a key to unlocking cross-sector decarbonisation cannot be overstated. Developing cleaner fuels and technologies is critical, but adoption will depend on ports having the right infrastructure and operational readiness to support investment.”

PortXchange also intends to highlight the need for ports to address current emissions while preparing infrastructure for future fuels.

“There is a tendency in maritime decarbonization to jump straight to the future fuel and assume the rest will fall into place,” de Jager continued. “It will not. Infrastructure, demand, operational readiness and policy have to move together.”

The company said it will advocate through the coalition for zero-emission shipping policies that treat ports as active participants in the energy transition.