Over 40 councils in coastal areas of the UK have demanded a £1bn “kick-start” from the government, in order to recover from the impact of COVID-19.
According to a letter they sent to the chancellor, they say the money could create about 74,000 jobs by developing zero-emission ships and offshore wind farms.
As for the UK government, during his speech to the virtual Conservative Party conference, Prime Minister Boris Johnson pledged to make the UK a “world leader” in green energy.
To achieve this goal, he announced £160m of investment in ports and factories to increase electricity generation from offshore wind.
Howver, the trade group Maritime UK, which coordinated the letter, urged for a “more ambitious” approach. Specifially, it argued that ships could be developed that are powered by hydrogen, ammonia or biofuels.
The letter also adds that a £1bn investment in decarbonising the UK’s sea transport sector would directly create 15,200 jobsm as well as a further 58,400 in the supply chain.
It warns nevertheless that:
Without investment, this opportunity will be missed, and the UK will risk losing its position as a world leader in maritime. Many other countries around the world are already acting to support the decarbonisation of their maritime industries, and the UK government must do the same.
Last year the UK published its Clean Maritime Plan, which wants “zero-emission-capable” ships to operate in UK waters by 2025.
