UK Charts Course for Carbon Free Shipping
The UK Maritime Minister Mike Kane has revealed the government’s new goals for all vessels that operate in UK waters and dock at UK ports to be carbon free.
Part of the government’s Plan for Change, the new Maritime decarbonization strategy sets out goals to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 30% by 2030, 80% by 2040 and to zero by 2050.
This will see the UK match the highest level of the ambitious goals agreed at the IMO in its 2023 strategy on reduction of greenhouse gas emission from ships.
Investment in green technologies and fuels is expected to cement the UK as a clean energy superpower and encourage a green economic revival.
Under the new strategy, the shipping sector will be brought under the UK Emissions Trading Scheme (UK ETS). This will see operators of larger vessels such as tankers and cruise ships – which cause the most pollution – pay more for their GHG emissions.
Furthermore, the strategy sets out plans to reduce emissions from shipping and increase the use of clean fuels and technologies, such as hydrogen, electric or ammonia vessels.
Kane, said: “As part of our Plan for Change, we’re committed to making the UK a green energy superpower and our maritime decarbonisation strategy will help us build a cleaner, more resilient maritime nation.”
In addition, the government is also launching two calls for evidence to help inform the development of measures needed to reduce emissions at berth, understand the future energy demand at ports and decarbonise smaller vessels.
Richard Ballantyne OBE, Chief Executive of the British Ports Association, said: “We welcome today’s announcement. UK ports are already demonstrating their commitment to net zero with ambitious targets and investment in new technologies and fuels. The UK SHORE program shows what can be achieved when government and industry work together on shared goals.”
Nuala Doyle, Policy Officer at the SASHA Coalition, commented: “The UK government’s commitment to a domestic fuel regulation laid out in the long-awaited Maritime Decarbonisation Strategy promises to be a crucial step to cutting emissions and spearheading maritime growth, but only if it targets the right fuels.
“Green hydrogen and derived e-fuels have the lowest emissions and environmental impacts, yet lack the support needed to scale production. Biofuels, on the other hand, are neither environmentally nor economically sustainable, as DfT recognised in the report. Any UK domestic maritime fuel regulation must follow the science and incentivise green hydrogen e-fuel development for the shipping industry to meet its climate targets and growth potential."
Commenting on the announced expansion of the UK ETS to maritime, Nuala said: “Expanding the UK ETS to domestic maritime emissions, will create new sources of finance to help drive an equitable transition to net zero for the shipping industry and make polluters pay fairly for their climate impacts. But to cut emissions at the pace needed requires extending the ETS to cover all emissions, including from international voyages and ships under 5,000GT."
