Willingness to participate in Payment for Mangrove Environmental Services: Maritime sector and shipping industry stakeholder perspectives

Key messages

• Although the shipping industry plays an important role in economic development globally and in Vietnam, its activities also affect the environment.
• The Government of Vietnam has recently introduced many new policies promoting economic development and environmental protection through sustainable development of the shipping industry, including the Green Port Program and a Payment for mangrove environmental services mechanism.
• Port authorities and shipping companies appreciate the roles mangroves play in: reducing greenhouse gas emissions/absorbing CO₂, NOx, SOx, PM particles and volatile organic compounds (VOCs); reducing sedimentation and expenditure on dredging; providing clean water; and reducing wave impacts and coastal erosion. Consequently, these companies are willing to participate in a payment for mangrove environmental services mechanism. In fact, many foreign shipping enterprises are actively engaged in replanting and protecting mangroves.
• Though some shipping industry companies are willing to pay for mangrove protection and development, four key factors determine their long-term commitment to and compliance with such a policy. These factors are: transparency and accountability regarding revenues and expenditure; fairness in applying payments for mangrove environmental services to all user groups; disclosure of detailed plans for mangrove maintenance and reestablishment; and policy development based on comprehensive and scientific cost-benefit analyses.
• Foreign and domestic shipping companies differ in terms of their willingness to pay for and ability to apply a payment for mangrove environmental services mechanism. Further studies are needed to analyze these differences and determine optimum measures.