Global Ports Safety Project: New Collaboration with France

Yokohama takes another step toward strengthening its leadership in port decarbonization in Asia

The City of Yokohama has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Expertise France, the international cooperation agency of France, for the joint implementation of the Global Ports Safety (GPS) Project. Through this initiative, Yokohama aims to enhance the international presence of its port and further promote the city’s global strategies. The MOU was signed on March 31 at the residence of the Ambassador of the France to Japan.

Following the conclusion of the MOU, Ms. TAKAICHI Sanae, Prime Minister of Japan, and H.E. Mr. Emmanuel Macron, President of the French Republic, issued a Japan–France Joint Leaders’ Statement welcoming the signing of a joint training project between GPS and the Port of Yokohama as part of the OXExpo (Ocean Transformation Exhibition), to be held in Yokohama later this year.

Expertise France is a public institution responsible for the international development cooperation and a member of the Agence Française de Développement (AFD) Group. In collaboration with public, civil society, and private sector partners, it contributes to the achievement of SDGs in over 140 countries, working across a wide range of fields including governance, climate, health, and education. The Global Ports Safety (GPS) Project, in its turn, is an international cooperation initiative implemented by the European Union (EU) in collaboration with France and other partners, aiming to enhance maritime safety, security, and sustainability at ports in South and Southeast Asia.

The partnership between Expertise France and Yokohama is yet another achievement within the widely recognized decarbonization efforts of the Port of Yokohama, which has received the highest award in the Climate and Energy category IAPH of the 2025 Sustainability Awards held by the International Association of Ports and Harbors (IAPH) for its “Port Decarbonization Plan: 121 public and private partnerships projects.” By joining forces with GPS, Yokohama can more effectively share its knowhow and experience, thus further contributing to port safety and decarbonization in Southeast Asia.

As for the training program, Yokohama and Expertise France will organize a seminar on maritime fuel decarbonization in ports, primarily targeting port and energy stakeholders from ASEAN member countries, as a side event within the OXExpo, scheduled to take place in Yokohama in November 25–26, 2026.