The British Port Authority (BPA) has welcomed the UK Government’s new £77m Zero Emission Vessels and Infrastructure (ZEVI) competition.
BPA research has found that no shore power project anywhere in the world has gone ahead without government funding.
This fund will help remove a key barrier to the installation of shore power, although significant other barriers remain including the high cost of electricity and a lack of capacity at many ports
The industry is also waiting for a Government consultation later this year that is expected to explore potential regulatory approaches to emissions at berth. The BPA views shore power as a means, not an ends in itself, recognizing that it will not be appropriate for all ports.
This funding is great news for UK ports that are exploring shore power as a means of reducing emissions from ships at berth. There is a tight window for applications so we hope Government keeps an open mind for future rounds and continues to focus on reducing other barriers to reducing emissions in port
Mark Simmonds, Director of Policy & External Affairs, at BPA, said.
This is the first time in UK history the government is intervening to specifically target this level of funding on green maritime tech which is already well developed. The funding will take the tech from the factory to the sea – identifying which projects will have a long-term impact in reducing emissions.
Successful projects must show they could use this money to work with major UK ports and operators to launch a zero-emission vessel by 2025 at the latest.
Examples of such technology include battery electric vessels, shoreside electrical power, ships running on low carbon fuels like hydrogen or ammonia, and wind-assisted ferries.
