Including emissions at berth in the UK ETS targets a major source of maritime pollution. In 2019, vessels over 5,000 GT produced 1.9 MtCO₂e at berth in UK ports, around 58% of domestic maritime emissions, so bringing these emissions into scope drives operators to cut them now. This also aligns with the EU ETS approach, therefore providing operators a predictable and consistent framework.

Following the launch of the Maritime Decarbonisation Strategy in March 2025, the Government has extensively engaged with shipping operators, ports, and the wider maritime sector. This includes engagement on shore power availability, grid capacity constraints and alternative fuels. We ran a call for evidence on Net Zero Ports that gathered evidence on current and future grid capacity at ports, as well as drivers of that future energy demand, and will continue working with industry to understand their needs.

This Government has worked with the National Energy System Operator and Ofgem to implement bold new reforms to the grid connections process. We are committed to ensuring ports future energy needs are taken into account as part of reforms and future planning of the network, and to working with industry to understand wider challenges such as energy costs.

The Government is exempting ferries serving Scotland’s island and peninsulas due to unique challenges they face in accessing essential goods, healthcare, education and employment. This is in addition to the legal duties to consider island populations under the Islands (Scotland) Act 2018.

The Government will continue to work with industry to support the development of infrastructure and technologies needed to facilitate decarbonisation across the UK.

In September 2025, the Government announced £448m R&D funding for the UK Shipping Office for Reducing Emissions (UK SHORE) between 2026 and 2030. This represents the biggest government investment ever in our commercial maritime industry.

HSE’s advice on the risks associated with the MV Ruby contained information relevant to national security. It is currently preparing a redacted version of the advice. As soon as it is available I will ensure a copy is placed in the Library of the House.

The Government have engaged with Peel Ports, which owns the port of Great Yarmouth, and the ship’s management company. They have provided guidance and advice to ensure the safe transfer of this cargo from the motor vessel “Ruby” on to another vessel for onward travel. Ammonium nitrate is regularly handled at UK ports and standard health and safety procedures have been, and are being, followed.

My Lords, the explosion in Beirut occurred because of the incorrect storage of a large amount of ammonium nitrate over a prolonged period. It was stored in a shed, alongside fireworks that caught fire and caused the explosion. The ammonium nitrate on the motor vessel “Ruby” has been stored correctly and is not believed to be compromised in any way. The port of Great Yarmouth has experience of handling agricultural dry-bulk cargoes including ammonium nitrate, over 200,000 tonnes of which are imported into the United Kingdom through various ports.

I can confirm that this is the same project for which the Isles of Scilly submitted a Levelling Up Fund bid for £48.4 million in June 2021.

DfT recognises the potential benefits of a hybrid vessel, which can accommodate both passengers and freights. These benefits will be considered to determine if a more frequent and efficient service can operate, and potentially be extended to run over the winter months.

I wrote to the current operator advising that the proposal received from Isles of Scilly Steamship Company, which sought to use public (levelling up) funding without the need of competition, did not meet the public procurement requirement in the context of the Levelling Up Fund. This position remains.

The Council of the Isles of Scilly are leading on the current survey to seek the islander’s preferences for value for money, fares and freight costs, and a year-round passenger service as opposed to a summer only service. DfT and the council have agreed that the results of this survey will be shared with the public once available.

The DfT have advised the Council of the Isles of Scilly that it will take the lead on finalising the ownership and delivery option for the Isles of Scilly Sea Links Project. The Council of the Isles of Scilly will remain the accountable body and will be required to submit any subsequent business case. As a levelling up funding project, the intention of DfT is that that project remains compliant with public procurement regulations. It also acknowledges the need for competition when procuring new vessels and operation of services.

In August 2022, the Government and Ofgem jointly published the Electricity Networks Strategic Framework. This sets out a shared vision for the transformation of the electricity network, that will ensure it can act as an enabler for a clean, secure, low-cost energy system and meet the electrification needs of wider sectors such as heat and transport. Electricity network regulation, including ensuring sufficient investment to deliver the capacity needed to meet demand, is a matter for Ofgem.

BEIS and DfT engage with each other regularly to understand the future demand on electricity network capacity and infrastructure not only from supplying vessels powered by low and zero emissions fuels, but also from installing shore power technology for use when a vessel is at berth.

The government is supporting the decarbonisation of the UK Maritime sector through a two-pronged approach: R&D funding and investment; and a comprehensive policy and regulatory programme.

Building on the success of the first Clean Maritime Demonstration Competition, in March 2022 the government announced a £206m R&D fund to be managed by the newly established UK Shipping Office for Reducing Emissions (UK SHORE). UK SHORE will work in partnership with industry to tackle supply and demand barriers and speed the transition of the UK toward a decarbonised maritime sector. The UK SHORE programme is being scoped and is considering different kinds of projects. The programme will aim to deliver a suite of interventions transforming the UK into a global leader in the design, manufacture and operation of clean maritime technology – boosting both jobs and economic growth.

Earlier this year a 12 -week call for evidence on the uptake of shore power in the UK was launched as part of a commitment in the Transport Decarbonisation Plan. The responses to the call for evidence have been analysed and were published in July 2022. The next step is to use the evidence to develop policy proposals and consult on them later this year.

The Secretary of State for Transport wrote to all UK ports on 28 Feb 2022 asking them not to provide access to any Russian flagged, registered, owned, controlled, chartered, or operated vessels.

Legislation has followed this and the Government made Regulations (The Russia (Sanctions) (EU Exit) (Amendment) (No.4) Regulations 2022) on 1 March 2022 which restrict any Russian flagged or registered ship, or any ship owned, operated, controlled or chartered by a person connected to Russia, arriving at a UK port. This was a vital measure to take in response to Russia’s actions in Ukraine and the Government has acted accordingly.

The Government announced an unprecedented package of financial measures to support businesses through these trying times, worth £350 billion. My Department’s officials and I have been working closely with operators across the maritime sector, including our Ports, to understand how these measures can be applied.

These support packages will safeguard jobs and protect our industries and have already been taken up by businesses across the country, including by Ports. We will continue to liaise with HM Treasury and the maritime industry, including with our Ports, to ensure that these support packages continue to reflect their needs and to address any other issue they have.

The ship operator (owner or manager) has the responsibility for paying all costs incurred while the ship is under detention.

No such direction has been required for any of these purposes.

My Lords, the port of Ostend is an operational ro-ro port, but nevertheless improvements are naturally required in order to bring all the necessary facilities up to date for the reinstatement of the Ramsgate route. The Government have no plans to provide any funding to the port of Ostend: that is a commercial matter for the port and for Seaborne.

Many of the major schemes in the first Road Investment Strategy either directly or indirectly improve connectivity to major ports in England. Some specific examples are set out below.

• A5036 Port of Liverpool
• A160/A180 Immingham
• A63 Castle Street (Hull)
• M271/A35 Redbridge roundabout upgrade (Southampton)
• M49 Avonmouth

Her Majesty’s Government’s decisions about which road schemes to take foreword in the second Road Investment Strategy will be based on deliverability, affordability and the extent to which they meet the five key aims for the network, which include integration with other transport modes such as ports.

Her Majesty’s Government’s decisions about which road schemes to progress are based on deliverability, affordability and the extent to which they meet the five key aims for the network post-2020 set out in its Planning Ahead publication

Integration, including linking the strategic road network to ports, airports and rail, is one of those five key aims. The Government’s recent Port Connectivity study contributes evidence to decision-making for the second Road Investment Strategy.

The Lower Thames Crossing creates a new link between the A2 and the M25, reducing the burden on the busy Dartford Crossing. This improves many journeys terminating in or passing through the South East and East of England, thereby enhancing connectivity to the (1) Channel Tunnel, (2) Port of Dover, (3) Port of Felixstowe, (4) Port of Tilbury and (5) DP World Gateway.

Her Majesty’s Government’s objective is to ensure frictionless movement through our ports is as frictionless as possible, whatever the outcome of the negotiations with the EU.

However, we are investing in schemes that will improve reliability of routes connecting ports to accommodate disruption whatever the cause. Highways England will shortly start the consultation process on a permanent solution for Operation Stack and, from early 2019, it will implement a contraflow scheme that can be deployed between junctions 8 to 9 of the M20, to alleviate serious disruption to cross-Channel traffic and its impact on residents and businesses in Kent.

The Government has invested £6.1m in the £11.7m project to improve the quays at St Mary’s and dredge Penzance Harbour to improve the sea connections between the Isles of Scilly and the mainland for passengers and freight. The project also benefited from £5.6m of European Regional Development Funding. The project was promoted by Cornwall Council and was completed in 2016.

Land’s End and St Mary’s airports have also been upgraded with the assistance of European Regional Development Funding totalling £6.8m, which included works (completed in 2014) to improve the runways at both airports.

The Government does not maintain a record of private sector investment in the above facilities.