Reducing Carbon Emissions
UKMPG strongly supports reducing carbon emissions in order to limit potentially damaging climate change and to improve the efficient use of finite resources. Ports have a major role to play in servicing the maritime sector with shipping by far the most carbon friendly of the major transport modes. Ports also facilitate the use of more carbon efficient connecting links with international shipping services such as coastal shipping and rail (over half of UK rail freight starts or finishes at a port). We believe there is further potential to develop coastal shipping services in the UK as an alternative to road transport and we continue to press for freight by water to be given greater weight in transport policy development.
Ports are also playing a major role in the development of all types of renewable energy. For example, ports are ideally placed to contribute to the major planned expansion of off shore wind energy both during the manufacturing and installation phases and subsequently when off shore wind installations require maintenance and servicing. Ports are also important for other types of renewable energy development such as biomass plant, and wave and tidal power schemes.
Ports are taking steps to reduce carbon emissions within their operational areas through such measures as improving the energy efficiency of buildings, plant and equipment and switching to power generated on-site from renewable sources. We are working closely with the Carbon Trust to develop energy efficiency schemes which are tailored to ports' local circumstances. We are pleased to be participating in the Carbon Trust's Industrial Energy Efficiency Accelerator programme which is designed to identify and implement opportunities for emissions reductions in industrial processes.
Port estates are covered by the Carbon Reduction Commitment which is a Government scheme intended to encourage energy efficiency by medium to large sized electricity users. We share the misgivings that many businesses have about the complexity of the CRC scheme and there are specific concerns about the application of the CRC scheme to business tenants within port estates. These concerns have been heightened by the announcement in the Chancellor's Comprehensive Spending Review statement on 20 October 2010 that CRC payments would be retained by the Government and no longer recycled to industry. This turns the scheme into an ill disguised energy tax paid uniquely by larger business users. We shall be pressing strongly for the CRC scheme to be withdrawn or as a minimum reconsidered.
Ports are also well aware that they need to ensure their investment and operations take sufficient account of the latest projections of the impacts of climate change. The potential consequences of possible future global sea level rise and projected increased storminess could have significant consequences for port operations. These are risk assessed and where necessary reflected in ports' forward planning. Ports in flood risk areas are already working with flood risk management authorities to plan for the maintenance and improvement of flood defences. Ports in England and Wales handling over 10m tonnes per annum are now preparing reports on adapting to climate change as required under the Climate Change Act 2008.
Integrated Transport
Ports are transport hubs and nodal points in the supply chain. They depend upon good road and rail links, so ports’ requirements need to be reflected in regional and modal transport plans. 50% of all freight carried on the railways is moving to or from a port. Most of the larger ports are rail connected, and are planning – for environmental reasons and cost and service considerations – for an increasing proportion of the traffic to travel by rail. Rail freight can be hampered by congestion on the main rail network, leading to delays and problems in obtaining additional paths. UKMPG welcomed the commitment in the 2007 Rail White Paper to develop a Strategic Freight Network to upgrade rail-freight links to and from ports, and trusts that the schemes which are now under development or are being planned will continue to be fully funded in the forthcoming Comprehensive Spending Review.
The European Commission, and to some extent, the UK Government, see an increasing, more prominent, role for short-sea shipping as a means of alleviating congestion on the road network. UKMPG supports this in principle, with the important proviso that any financial assistance towards new facilities for short-sea shipping should be strictly limited to situations where it is clear that the development will lead to a switch of traffic from road to sea. Otherwise, there is a danger that such assistance will distort the market by causing a transfer of traffic from one port to another, with little overall gain.
