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Government pledges to sort out maritime ‘muddle’

[ June 21, 2023   //   ]

The Government said on 20 June that it will carry out a wide-ranging review of its policies to modernise the UK’s maritime sector, following a number of recommendations by the Transport Committee on cutting emissions, new technology and skills.

Among the headline recommendations of the Committee’s report into the Government’s 2019 ‘Maritime 2050’ strategy, it called on the Department for Transport (DfT) to work with industry to review and streamline the “muddle” of 184 recommendations it set itself four years ago. In its response, DfT said it will establish a new cross-departmental Maritime Council to help it and industry review progress and agree how best to prioritise. 

Ministers said an updated Clean Maritime Plan to decarbonise the sector will be published later this year, with indicative targets and a road map to achieve zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. In its report, the cross-party Committee said DfT’s updated Plan should include details of how new regulations will support the use of future fuels and vessel types, giving industry certainty about how to invest. 

However, DfT said it was unwilling to commit, beyond 2025, to long-term investment in UK SHORE – a programme of investment in infrastructure projects focused on shore-side electrical charging. The Committee called for further state investment as part of the solution needed to make widespread provision of shore-side power viable. The response said: “UK SHORE interventions will continue to be rolled out until 2025 helping to bridge the gap between new, clean solutions and conventional technologies.” 

The Committee said DfT should quickly bring in new legislation to facilitate regulation that would enable companies to adopt remote-controlled and autonomous ships.

The Government rejected MPs’ call to bring forward its promised Seafarers’ Welfare Charter as soon as possible and make it mandatory for UK operators.

The Committee also urged DfT carry out a review of funding for training in the maritime sector,

Transport Committee chair Iain Stewart said: “Top of our agenda with this report was urging ministers to bring some order to the muddle of recommendations in its Maritime 2050 strategy. Credit was due to the Government for producing it in the first place, and now we welcome their agreement to sift through it and regularly monitor progress.

“We also look forward to poring over DfT’s promised update to the Clean Maritime Plan at the end of the year. But as part of this we strongly believe the Government should commit to long term investment in UK SHORE beyond 2025. The ability to plan long term is especially crucial to the maritime sector, and we believe there will be disappointment at the uncertainty this will cause.

“It is similarly disappointing that new legislation to enable smart shipping appears to be drifting out to sea and in danger of being abandoned before the next general election.”

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