According to the newly launched UK Clean Maritime Plan, all new vessels operating in UK waters from 2025 should be zero-emissions capable, reports Riveira Maritime Media.
The Clean Maritime Plan
- The plan, which is part of the UK Government’s Clean Air Strategy, also includes a £1.0M (US$1.2M) competition to fund the development of maritime emissions-reduction strategies.
- Another key element is establishing clean maritime clusters, to be underway by 2025 and completed by 2035, which will promote innovation and infrastructure related to zero-emission propulsion technology, including bunkering low or zero-emissions fuels.
- The plan forms the Environment Route Map of the UK’s Maritime 2050 strategy, which sets out recommendations for developing the country’s maritime sector across a range of topics.
What does it mean for the maritime sector?
Maritime Minister Nusrat Ghani said, “The Clean Maritime Plan sets an ambitious vision for the sector and opens up exciting opportunities for innovation”.
“It will help make the UK a global hub for new green technologies in the maritime sector.”
Speaking at the launch of the plan, Maritime UK’s vice-chair Sarah Kenny said, “Getting to net zero will not be easy, but it will present significant opportunities as well as the obvious challenges for all parts of our £40Bn (US$50Bn) maritime sector”.
“Maritime is already the greenest way of moving freight, but we can and must do more to reduce emissions.”
British Ports Association Welcomes The Plan
British Ports Association head of policy Mark Simmonds commented, “We are pleased that one early commitment is for the Government to review the environmental and economic case for coastal shipping, which we believe has a role to play in taking lorries off UK streets and reducing emissions”.
“We also note the forecasts in this document that set out some possibly enormous growth in demands for energy that may need to flow through ports, whether it be shore-side power or bunkering cleaner fuels and we relish the challenge of tackling these in the coming months and years.”
Did you subscribe to our daily newsletter?
It’s Free! Click here to Subscribe!
Source: Riviera Maritime Media
