The penultimate piece in this series looks at maritime transport.
While it’s not the most commonly discussed transport method in Wales (at least prior to Brexit), it’s still vitally important to international trade.
Additionally, it’s one of the most legally complicated. Also, aside from rail infrastructure, it’s one of the largest areas of transport policy not fully devolved to Wales.
Given the potential for renewables offshore around Wales, the maritime economy could potentially play a crucial role in cutting emissions.
In October 2021, Associated British Ports (ABP) published (pdf) what they describe as a “vision” for the five major southern ports (Swansea, Port Talbot, Barry, Cardiff, Newport). The vision sets out four “missions”:
- Decarbonisation of energy generation: Tying in with the plans for the Celtic Freeport, ports will play a key role in offshore renewables, particularly floating wind turbines and tidal energy (as noted, already dealt a big blow with an auction flop). There’s support for long-standing proposals for a tidal lagoon in Swansea Bay.
- Decarbonising manufacturing: This includes carbon sequestration (capture and storage) at Port Talbot associated with the steelworks, renewing port facilities to allow this and encouraging manufacturing sites in and around ports.
- Decarbonising logistics: The vision includes “zero-carbon freight villages” within ports using renewable energy and/or hydrogen to power last-mile deliveries and HGVs.
- A new round of regeneration: Ports have become key zones of residential and commercial development over the last 30 years and ABP hopes that there will be a “new wave”. While there’s no suggestion that the industrial use would be abandoned, more land in and around the major ports could be opened up for other uses.
As for decarbonising maritime transport, according to the Welsh Government “domestic shipping” was said to contribute 5% of Welsh transport-related carbon emissions in 20167; that compares to 55% from cars. The European Commission says that 3% of global emissions are down to shipping – though global demand may see this surge to over 10% in the coming decades8.
So in the grand scheme of things, maritime transport isn’t as big a factor in climate change as road transport (Part VI) or air transport (Part X) but it could undo efforts to cut emissions from those sectors if ignored.
Almost all merchant ships are diesel-electric powered. It’ll be down to shipping companies, not governments, to make any changes to this. Three of the most researched alternatives to diesel are liquified natural gas (LNG) – which still produces emissions, though at half the level of diesel – ammonia and hydrogen.
Other options include nuclear power (more commonly used for military vessels, with a chequered history for civilian use), battery power (which might only be suitable for short journeys) and wind power (other than sails).
Reports on the proposed South Wales – South West England ferries (mentioned earlier) say that the preference is for hydrogen power. The first hydrogen-fuelled roll-on, roll-off ferry launched in March 2023 in Norway, with a second hydrogen passenger ferry set to start working in San Francisco Bay soon.
Exhaust aside, there are other environmental impacts from shipping such as discharge of wastewater, serious pollution events (like oil spills) and the impact shipping has on sea life.
7. Welsh Government (June 2019). “Transport: Sector emission pathway” (p2). Available here: https://www.gov.wales/sites/default/files/publications/2019-06/transport-sector-emission-pathway-factsheet.pdf
8: European Commission, Horizon Magazine (6th September 2022). “Emissions-free sailing is full steam ahead for ocean-going shipping”. Available here: https://ec.europa.eu/research-and-innovation/en/horizon-magazine/emissions-free-sailing-full-steam-ahead-ocean-going-shipping
