The Port of Dover has taken a significant step towards becoming the UK’s first high volume Green Shipping Corridor.
Marking the IMO’s recent World Maritime Day, former UK Transport Secretary, Anne-Marie Trevelyan, announced that Dover was successful in its bid to fund the Green Corridor Short Straits (GCSS) consortium’s feasibility study to establish a zero-carbon trade route.
This partnership also includes the French sister ports of Calais and Dunkirk.
Dover is the closest UK port to mainland Europe. Facilitating up to 120 ferry movements per day – carrying up to 11 mill pax, 2.1 mill cars and 2.4 mill trucks annually – the port is responsible for handling £144 bill of trade and is also responsible for 33% of all UK/EU trade.
Greening this element of the supply chain will therefore make vast progress in de-carbonising the journey of much of the UK’s trade – and paves the way for other ports to follow, the port claimed.
The GCSS study focuses on the routes between Dover and Calais and Dunkirk and will support the transition to green crossings to and from the UK, making way for zero-emission vessels, leisure crafts and workboats in the future.
In a statement released by the UK Department for Transport, Trevelyan said: “The UK has always been a proud seafaring nation and helping the maritime sector to be more environmentally friendly will mean it continues to play a key role in the UK’s economy for generations to come.”
This project brings together a consortium from the Dover Clean Ferry Power project, taken from the first Clean Maritime Demonstration Competition, which included the University of Kent, Warwick Manufacturing Group (University of Warwick), P&O Ferries and Schneider Electric, with additional partners for the second round being DFDS, Irish Ferries, Ikigai Capital, JG Maritime Solutions, SSE and ABB.
Port of Dover’s CCO, Christian Pryce, said: “The Port of Dover is leading the way on port de-carbonisation, and more broadly, on recognising the role we will play in the de-carbonisation of the UK supply chain.
“We are embracing the critical role and responsibility that the Port of Dover has, and recognise complexity of the journey we are undertaking, together.
“With sailings every 36 minutes, the port supports just-in-time supply chains across the nation, being the key entry and exit point for over 2 mill HGVs and equivalent tourist vehicles to the UK strategic road network.
“We can adapt to a diverse traffic profile and the flexibility, capacity and resilience of the route are unmatched in the UK, making us, and our French sister ports, the prime option for the first Green Shipping Corridor.
“In 2022, Dover has moved up a gear in our sustainable ambitions – announcing our ambitious sustainability strategy in May, the Port intends to reach net-zero (direct emissions and our purchased energy) by 2025 and reaching net-zero (indirect emissions caused by our activity) by 2030.
“This week’s announcement solidifies our position as the vanguard of UK port de-carbonisation. Congratulations to all our partners who were also central to this bid!” he concluded.
