Zero Emissions for all Vessels Ordered for UK Waters from 2025

The UK Government has announced that all new vessels for UK waters ordered from 2025 should be designed with zero-emission capable technologies, in ambitious plans set out by Maritime Minister, Nusrat Ghani, to cut pollution from the country’s maritime sector. 

The Clean Maritime Plan is part of the Government’s Clean Air Strategy, which aims to cut down air pollution across all sectors to protect public health and the environment. It will also help deliver the UK’s commitment to be net zero on greenhouse gases by 2050. The Plan is also part of the Government’s Maritime 2050 strategy which was published in January 2019. 

The Plan also includes a £1 million competition to find innovative ways to reduce maritime emissions and is published alongside a call for evidence to reduce emissions on UK waterways and domestic vessels. 

Maritime Minister, Nusrat Ghani, stated: “Our maritime sector is vital to the success of the UK’s economy, but it must do everything it can to reduce emissions, improve air quality and tackle climate change. 

“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.” 

The Government is also looking at ways to incentivise the transition to zero-emission shipping and will consult on this next year. 

A further consultation to increase the uptake of low carbon fuels will also take place next year. 

The full Clean Maritime Plan can be read here.

British Marine is partnering with the Department for Transport on the call for evidence on Domestic Shipping Air Pollution which was released today (11 July 2019). Over the next six months, British Marine will be calling upon members to help provide evidence from across the leisure, superyacht and small commercial marine sector.  It will publish more details on how members can get involved in next week's Latest News.