Ports need clear fuel choices

Speaking at the UK Ports Conference, policy director for safety and the environment Anna Ziou said: “It’s not going to work if we end up with endless fuel solutions everywhere.”

The Port of London Authority’s environment manager Tanya Ferry gave a first-hand example of the challenges that port authorities worldwide are facing when it comes to meeting non-prescribed fuel options.

“One ship wants shore power, one wants LNG, one wants hydrogen,” she said. “What is it best that we supply: one fuel or a mix eventually, and how do we justify the investment in shore power?”

She added that ports also need to consider “unexpected consequences”, including whether open-loop scrubbers should be accepted or not.

“For anything environmental there is no silver bullet,” said Ms Ferry. “We have such a varied fleet and there are so many commercial solutions out there.”

Ms Ziou commented that is important to include ports in the discussions on future fuels for shipping as all require shore-based infrastructure to support their distribution.

And while ports are not legislated by the IMO it is important that ports and shipping co-operate to facilitate the transition to zero-carbon.

“The 2050 target can be achieved but it is going to be challenging, will ask some difficult questions and require a change in the way the industry is structured,” she said. “You need to engage more with what’s going on with the strategy and follow these discussions on short and long term measures very closely because they are going to directly impact your infrastructure and your businesses.”

The transition to carbon-free transportation will have a profound impact on the industry and ports have a key role to play in the ‘revolution’,” Ms Ziou concluded.