A team of UK maritime researchers are developing the Zero-carbon Coastal Highway concept, a fleet of zero carbon coastal ships to transport goods around the UK via its ports by 2030.
Specifically, the experts aim toshift transport from the UK’s already congested road and rail networks onto the water.
The organizations estimate that the transition would add more than $2.3 billion in additional revenue to the UK, create 39,000 extra jobs, and reduce land-based CO2 emissions by between 30 and 40%.
The plan focuses on using this costal highway as a means to decarbonize by employing a fleet of zero carbon ships. They noted that this would require new styles of vessels and coastal gateways designed and developed to support the network. Also, new regulations will be needed to ensure safety.
Professor Stephen Turnock, Head of Civil, Maritime and Environmental Engineering at the University of Southampton commented that
Examining the transport logistics system as a whole will allow many of our smaller ports to be transformed, sustaining their localities and reducing the growing pressures on our road and rail bottlenecks. It will revolutionize the approach to vessel traffic management and greatly ease the development of maritime autonomous systems development.
Concluding, taking part in this project are the Maritime Research and Innovation UK (MarRI-UK) including experts from the University of Southampton, Shell Shipping & Maritime and the BMT Group.
