Earlier this year National Maritime shared our plans with the Port of Dover to deliver a Blue Space Advanced Port, Energy & Logistics Centres (APELC) to support its ambition to become the world’s first high volume ‘Green Shipping Corridor’ and help deliver on the UK government’s ambition for clean maritime growth as part of the Department for Transport (DfT), United Kingdom (DfT), flagship Maritime 2050 strategy, the Clean Maritime Plan and the Clydebank Declaration announced in Glasgow at COP26.
So, it great to hear the Port announce its intent to become the world’s first high volume ‘Green Shipping Corridor’.
Yes, this will be a significant challenge but one that can be achieved and indeed, the answer may not be electric, but it will be green, and it will require the involvement of UK maritime industries and supply chains, as well sister Ports across the channel, local authorities, and leading academics to progress to make this ambition a reality.
National Maritime APELC will work with marine, energy, and logistics industries from around the globe to create opportunities for research, innovation and production, and to facilitate the development of energy infrastructure from across multiple energy carriers within ports.
Recognised as leading innovative marine, energy, and logistics communities, APELC will provide access to a unique complex of industrial buildings, office suites and docks, and direct deep-water.
Each centre represents a unique opportunity to help deliver transformative benefits at scale across trade, investment and innovation, which could create new jobs and support the UK’s transition to net zero . They will also support ports objectives of improving energy infrastructure and choices to make energy systems more resilient to stabilise operating costs, all whilst meeting regulatory and community needs.
Furthermore, APELC will act as catalysts to help establish green corridors, specific trade routes between major ports hubs to demonstrate and support zero-emission solutions to achieve full decarbonisation of the shipping sector by 2050.