The United States, Panama and Fiji have begun talks to create green corridors for merchant ship traffic, former US diplomatic chief John Kerry said on Thursday in Panama City as he opened a global conference on protecting the world's oceans.
The United States has also begun to work with Fiji to create a new global sea corridor to protect the oceans.
"We are delighted to announce - both with Panama and with Fiji and the Pacific Blue Shipping Association - that we are engaged in technical cooperation to help facilitate green shipping corridors in our regions," Kerry said at the opening of the Eighth Our Ocean Conference.
The two-day conference is being attended by more than 600 delegates from governments, businesses and NGOs.
Their discussions focus on a framework for the 'blue economy' (the ocean equivalent of the green economy) for the sustainable use and protection of the world's seas and oceans, including the establishment of green corridors.
These environmentally friendly corridors would be reserved for low- or no-carbon ships, experts say. They would also combat illegal fishing and protect marine species from overfishing.
There are over 10,000 boats under the jurisdiction of unnamed countries that are fishing illegally in estuaries, bays and communities, said Kerry, who is currently the US Special Presidential Envoy for Climate.
Leading players from the scientific community, the maritime industry, environmental organisations and coastal communities will work together to complete the green corridors, the US embassy in Panama said in a statement.
The International Maritime Organization (IMO) has set a goal of reducing carbon emissions from ships by at least 50% - from 2008 levels - by 2030 and by 70% by 2050.
Panama, which owns the only canal linking the Atlantic and Pacific oceans has the most merchant ships under its flag in the world. The United States is the canal's main customer.
