BPA looks to tackle long-term port issues

‘Horizon’ will address key issues for ports over the next 50 years, including infrastructure and skills, grouped around four key drivers of change: technology & automation; climate change and the environment; politics, regulation and the law; and social and economic change.

Mark Simmonds, BPA policy manager, said: “This exciting programme will focus minds across industry and government on key long-term challenges, such as what port infrastructure will be needed to accommodate the vessels of the future. Will the current trend towards ever-larger ships continue? Or will autonomous vessels herald more but more numerous traffic into our ports?”

Mr Simmonds indicated that one of the challenges the BPA would like to focus on is encouraging more coastal shipping within the UK as a more environmentally friendly way to move freight.

Individual projects

Other individual projects around key emerging challenges for ports will be launched under each theme of the programme, drawing in experts from across industry and academia. The outcome will be a rolling programme of recommendations for Government, feeding into initiatives such as Maritime 2050 and the Industrial Strategy.

Mr Simmonds added that the programme also aims to inform the Government’s own futures project, Maritime 2050, launched at London International Shipping Week in September.

Maritime UK, an umbrella group representing industry, recently launched its own futures plan, which will be closely tied in with the BPA’s Horizon programme.