The UK Shipping Office for Reducing Emissions (UK SHORE) has announced £1.5M (US$1.9M) to fund feasibility studies to examine green corridor routes between the UK and other nations
The International Green Corridor Fund (IGCF) was launched as part of London International Shipping Week. It builds on the Clydebank Declaration at COP 26 and seeks to accelerate the development of green corridors to and from the UK.
Green corridors – zero-emissions maritime routes between two or more ports – are considered vital to encouraging the development of vessel and shoreside technology as part of the wider energy transition. But the challenges are vast, requiring substantial investments into infrastructure including shore power charging systems.
The UK’s first green corridor between the ports of Dover, Calais and Dunkirk will facilitate low-emissions ferry routes.
UK SHORE’s funding will be made available for UK-registered organisations to deliver these feasibility studies. Partner countries – which initially include the Netherlands, Norway and Denmark – will provide match-funding for organisations in their countries or in-kind contributions through access to information and facilitation of collaboration.
Commenting on the news, a spokesman from the trade body the UK Chamber of Shipping said, “Green corridors can play a role in helping to reduce emissions further alongside ongoing investment by industry.”
“To be successful, they require dedicated infrastructure across the corridor to ensure vessels can access low- and zero-emission fuels as well as facilities such as shoreside power. It is vital that measures to ensure successful delivery of this infrastructure form a core part of the feasibility studies.”
The UK Department for Transport (DfT) said further information on IGCF funding will be made available in due course.
DfT’s £206M (US$256M) UK SHORE programme is targeted at accelerating the technology necessary to decarbonise the domestic maritime sector.
The UK government also announced plans for a new Clean Maritime Research Hub, to bring together academia, industry and think tanks. A consortium of more than 70 partners including 13 British universities is backed by £7.4M (US$9.2M) in DfT funds.
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