The British Ports Association (BPA) will be holding a short targeted seminar on Thursday 29 November to discuss coastal shipping in the UK with ports and operators. In comparison with other transport modes, shipping is an efficient and environmentally sustainable option.
Utilising the UK’s hundreds of ports in supporting more coastal shipping has the potential to improve connectivity between regions.
Commenting on the importance of coastal shipping (moving freight within the UK by sea) and what will be discussed at the seminar, Sara Walsh, the BPA’s Corporate Services Manager said:
“We are aware of the importance of existing coastal shipping routes and possible new markets which would help to sustain trade between regions around the UK. As mentioned in the Department for Transport’s Port Connectivity Study, coastal shipping is a potentially underused domestic freight mode. Waterborne freight transport can also provide environmental benefits and can reduce road congestion as well, which could play a major role in helping the UK reduce its greenhouse gas emissions.
The seminar will provide a platform for individual ports to highlight what they have been doing, and for shipping companies and freight operators to discuss their business needs and aims. We will also be looking at policy and grants framework and whether the current systems are sufficient.”
Freight by Water, the promotional body, who are managed by the Freight Transport Association, will also be speaking at the Seminar and further details of agenda will be available after summer.
90% of the UK population lives within 30 miles of the coast, and no part of the UK is more than 70 miles from it. One of the recommendations of the Department for Transport’s 2017 Port Connectivity Study was for the DfT Maritime Modal Connectivity Team to work with industry to better understand the barriers, challenges and market opportunities of coastal shipping and inland waterways within the current freight landscape.