In the drive to decarbonise shipping much of the focus centres on reducing carbon emissions created on board vessels, reinforcing a perception that shipping only happens at sea and overlooking the critically important role of ports in supply chains and their associated responsibilities in relation to decarbonisation.
Ports are vital in the shipping chain and, as major consumers of energy, significant sources of pollution and regulatory scrutiny. Ports also have a vested interest in the climate; physical infrastructure and port activities are vulnerable to changes in the level or patterns of shipping, increased flooding affects movements within ports and causes damage to goods and reduced navigability of access channels all contribute to business interruption.
There are also, increasingly, strong commercial incentives for ports to implement policies that lessen the impact on the environment, both through meeting regulatory requirements and voluntarily helping shipping decarbonise.
