Shaping government policy to reduce the effect of shipping on climate change and air pollution

The Department for Transport has today published the Clean Maritime Plan.

As part of the Government’s Clean Air Strategy, the Plan aims to cut down air pollution from shipping to protect public health and the environment, and to reduce climate change emissions from ships to help deliver the United Kingdom’s commitment to be net zero on greenhouse gases by 2050.

Frontier Economics led a consortium, alongside UMAS, E4tech, CE Delft and Aether, which undertook a large programme of economic research to underpin the Clean Maritime Plan. The work explores the range of behavioural, technological and low-emission fuel options that can be implemented to reduce emissions from UK domestic and international shipping – both greenhouse gases and air pollutants – along with their impacts and costs under several scenarios to 2050, and the potential barriers to their uptake.

It also provides an assessment of the potential commercial opportunities for the UK from a shift towards low emission shipping. It finds that the UK is well-placed to take advantage of its skills and capabilities in low-emission fuel production technologies, batteries for propulsion and on-board batteries to be a world leader in low emission shipping technologies, alongside its strengths in important maritime services such as legal and finance.  

Frontier advises public and private sector clients on a range of strategic and policy design decisions in the transport and environment sectors.

For more information please contact media@frontier-economics.com, or call +44 (0)20 7031 7000