Passengers could reap the rewards of greener travel by sea thanks to the development of new shipping routes only accessible to zero emission vessels. 

Maritime Minister Mike Kane today (17 October 2024) announced the new projects which will receive funds to develop these future routes, including the Port of Tyne to the Port of Ijmuiden (Netherlands) and the Port of Holyhead to the Port of Dublin.   

The Department for Transport (DfT) is also funding the development of green shipping routes from the UK to Norway and Demark – the organisations that will lead these are soon to be announced.   

Green corridors are zero emission maritime routes between 2 or more ports. The UK led the development of green corridors through the launch of the Clydebank Declaration at COP26.

Once developed, should the world’s biggest shipping companies operate along these greener routes, it could transform the ‘fast shopping’ industry, making the global shipment of goods more environmentally friendly.

Maritime Minister, Mike Kane, said:   

Shipping is a big contributor to global greenhouse gas emissions, so these new green corridors could be a real game changer for industry.   

This is exactly the direction we need to be going in to achieve our mission of becoming a clean energy superpower.   

These new corridors could turbocharge the use of sustainable fuels, secure the green jobs of the future and advance environmentally friendly travel to major European capitals like Amsterdam and Dublin.

The funding comes from the  fifth round of the government’s Clean Maritime Demonstration Competition (CMDC5), which focuses on driving innovative solutions and new technologies to decarbonise the industry and grow the economy.    

Matt Beeton, CEO of the Port of Tyne, said:

Today’s funding announcement will support the development of port infrastructure for electrification and the refuelling of state-of-the-art clean powered vessels. This important green infrastructure will ensure that the Port of Tyne and the Port of Ijmuiden are supporting decarbonised routes between the North East of England and Europe with the aim of saving up to 850,000 tonnes of CO2 annually.

Bolstered by the Maritime Innovation Hub, the Port of Tyne continues to drive sustainable innovation and act as a focal point for a growing European decarbonised distribution network for green trade and passenger journeys.

The River Tyne fuelled the industrial revolution and now it’s at the forefront of greening international logistics.

Ian Davies, Head of UK Port Authorities at Stena Line, said: 

We’re delighted to have been awarded this funding to explore establishing the first ‘green corridor’ between Wales and Ireland. Stena Line aims to be a leader in sustainability in the industry and we look forward to collaborating with our partners to assess the infrastructure needs in Holyhead Port to support a fossil free shipping corridor to Dublin Port, working together with both ferry operators.

We’re currently working to futureproof our fleet across Europe by investing in new ships and have plans to convert existing ships to be able to operate on alternative fuel. This feasibility study will help us determine the best way forward for our 2 vessels on this key trading route to support our ambitious sustainability goals.

Visiting the Port of Tyne, the Maritime Minister also announced separate funding to help make sea travel cleaner and smarter.   

Up to £8 million of match funding will be given to 30 projects across the UK to accelerate plans to develop smart technologies, such as autonomous systems, AI, robotics and sensors.   

These technologies will help position the UK as a world leader in maritime decarbonisation and will support economic growth and coastal communities by delivering local jobs and boosting local businesses.  

Mike Biddle, Executive Director for Net Zero at Innovate UK, said:

Like so many industries, the maritime sector is under immense pressure to decarbonise its transport and process methods. Innovate UK is proud to be a key delivery partner for DfT’s UK SHORE programme, which provides a unique platform for innovators and collaborators to demonstrate real-world solutions to some of the sector’s most pressing challenges.

With this year’s round of competitions delivering a host of exciting prospective technologies, from smart shipping drones to methanol-fuelled vessels, UK SHORE looks to accelerate the adoption of these sustainable solutions and help the UK drive towards its net zero targets.

This latest round of funding comes from the £206 million UK SHORE programme which is focused on decarbonising the UK maritime sector through tech innovation.