London’s getting greener

This incentive scheme is available to ships that exceed international emissions standards set by the IMO in a scoring scheme run by the World Ports Climate Initiative.

Robin Mortimer, PLA chief executive, said: “We introduced this incentive as part of a broad programme of work to address concerns about air quality, particularly in urban areas.”

“It’s great to see that we’ve already got some of the largest vessels calling in the port qualifying for the discount. It’s one way in which we can incentivise ship owners to invest in the latest environmental technologies.”

In the first three months of the year, 66 ships calling at terminals on the Thames qualified for the UK’s first port charge discount for cleaner ships, which was put in place on 1 January.

Among the ships qualifying for the discount were car carriers, container ships and tankers.

Mr Mortimer said: “Alongside the discount we are also looking at air quality on the river in central London and how we continuously improve the environmental performance of our own operations.”

For the PLA, air quality is a strategic priority, it has commissioned a series of studies that will report over the next six months assessing: The scope for shore side power, the air emissions for comparable road and river journeys and an emissions inventory with TfL.

The PLA’s own operations are also under regular review to help reduce the organisation’s environmental impact across the 95-mile tidal river.

In terms of its fleet, the PLA is looking trialling an electric power unit in one of its upriver harbour patrol boats, which it hopes will set a benchmark for the rest of the fleet.

It already has shore side power at several of its piers on the Thames, used to charge batteries that power its boats’ navigation and other safety equipment.

All research will be used to help shape the Thames’ first air quality strategy that the PLA, GLA and TfL will to publish before the end of the year.