UK Clean Air Strategy is “missed opportunity” to promote shipping as best freight transport option

The strategy, published this month by DEFRA, requires all major English ports to produce Air Quality Strategies setting out their plans to reduce emissions by May 2019, but the BPA, while pointing out that many major ports are already taking air quality action, said that the Government’s statement on international shipping emissions’ is not backed by evidence, while its policy manager Mark Simmonds stressed that moving freight by sea is “still by far the most environmentally-friendly way to facilitate global trade.”

Mr Simmonds said: “Ports and shipping are part of the solution, not the problem and it is disappointing that the Government have missed the opportunity to promote shipping as the cleanest way to move freight.”

He added: “In comparison with other transport modes shipping is an efficient and environmentally sustainable option. Utilising the UK’s hundreds of ports in supporting more coastal shipping has the potential to take thousands of lorries off of UK roads.”

DEFRA’s Clean Air Strategy 2018 states that ‘By May 2019, all major English ports should produce Air Quality Strategies setting out their plans to reduce emissions across the port estate including ship and shore activities. These plans will be reviewed periodically to establish if the measures implemented are effective or further government action is required.’

The BPA said it was “disappointed that the strategy provides no evidence for its claim that ‘international shipping emissions have a significant impact on air quality in the UK due to shipping lanes and engine operation while at UK ports. We have been engaging with Government on air quality for some time but have still yet to see much credible evidence set in proper context.”

It added the Government “have based some of their assumptions on shipping and port emissions on reports where the methodology has significant limitations, such as substantial guesswork around vessels’ fuel type and sulphur content and assumptions on vessels’ engines. There are also significant question marks around source apportionment in emission monitoring.”