UK government needs to take stronger action on shipping emissions, says T&E

The UK government has the chance to either ‘lead from the front or stand aside’ when it comes to tackling shipping emissions, Transport & Environment (T&E) has said.

Negotiations on a Net Zero Framework for the shipping industry, being undertaken by the International Maritime Organization (IMO), continue to be delayed by oil-rich nations such as the the US, UAE and Saudi Arabia, T&E noted, presenting the UK with the opportunity to either lead or retreat into the shadows.

‘Particularly vulnerable’

“The recent Strait of Hormuz crisis has shown how shipping, as a global industry heavily dependent on fossil fuels, is particularly vulnerable to geopolitical crises,” commented Ariana Makinson, T&E UK sustainable shipping senior officer.

“Between 1 March and 20 March, global shipping racked up an estimated £3.99 billion in additional fuel costs , hitting £295 million daily at its peak. The current crisis shows the urgent need to move away from fossil fuels not just for emissions reduction but for energy security and resilience. Without strong regulation this will not happen.”

T&E noted that the EU already has binding rules in place, as well as targeted investment to scale clean shipping technologies and cut emissions from the sector. The UK, however, risks becoming a ‘green tech laggard’, due to lack of investment and initiative.

“This is not optional,” Makinson added. “The government will include international shipping in the Sixth Carbon Budget, regardless of what future direction the IMO takes, it is increasing the risk of missing emissions targets, undermining net zero credibility, and handing polluters a free pass.”

Domestic measures

T&E has proposed a series of domestic measures, including extending the UK Emissions Trading Scheme to cover international shipping, introducing fuel standards to encourage the use of low-emission technologies, and requiring ships to use onshore power while docked to reduce emissions in port areas.

The UK’s Maritime Decarbonisation Strategy states that ‘should multilateral action through the IMO be delayed or prove insufficient, the UK will develop bespoke domestic measures to address our share of these international emissions, in line with our legal commitment to net zero’, T&E noted. Read more here.