UK’s Portsmouth International Port has proposed a series of major projects, including shore power, wind turbines and solar panels, as part of its Air Quality Strategy to reduce emissions and become the UK’s first zero emission port.
The port aspires to become carbon neutral by 2030, and contribute towards the national clean maritime plan for the UK to have net zero shipping emissions by 2050.
Outlining its commitment in a letter to the UK Department for Transport (DfT), the port has listed a range of initiatives it plans to launch subject to funding approval for a capital spend of over £10m and a successful government grant application.
The strategy includes ways to tackle emissions both marine and land side, and also support the port’s cruise and ferry customers to improve their sustainability goals. The initiatives to pursue include:
- Offering shore power as an alternative energy source for ships when they visit Portsmouth. Ships with the ability to use shore side power can plug-in to the port’s electrical supply, this means they do not have to run their engines and burn fuel.
- Installing wind turbines and solar panels across the site will contribute towards plans to be energy self-sufficient by 2030. This initiative will be complemented by criteria which mandates that to operate on site contractors have to use low emission vehicles. Contractors will be given advance notice that their vehicles have to comply with Euro 6 standard, which is a European standard for cleaner diesel engines.
- Creation of a living wall, which early indications show this form of planting can be effective in absorbing harmful particles and pollutants.
In order to understand the impact of the initiatives, the port will work with Solent University to interrogate the data accurately to understand emission levels.
To fund this advanced air monitoring technology, the port has made a government application through research body MarRI-UK and has successfully passed stage one of the bid process.
The port has recently also received funding to install a freight management system for its commercial shipping operator, Portico.
Automation will process hauliers efficiently when collecting cargo and means there should be no vehicle idling on site.
The port’s environmental proposals come in addition to these of other UK-based organizations.
Brittany Ferries welcomes the first LNG powered channel ferry, Honfleur, in 2020 followed by a further two new green ships. LNG provides cleaner, greener fuel and can reduce emissions by up to 25%.
