Accelerating shipping decarbonisation: A case study on UK shore power

Shore power connects ships to land-side electricity grids, cutting fuel use in port to reduce carbon dioxide emissions and air pollution. It also enables the transition towards greater use of electric vessels. Despite these benefits, the global deployment of shore power is slow, particularly in countries such as the UK. This paper presents findings from a qualitative case study using two theoretical frameworks from the transitions literature to assess barriers to UK shore power deployment. The findings identify a need for capital funding and taxation policies, and illustrate that shipping's low status in the political hierarchy impedes implementation. Measures to strengthen interactions between shipping actors would help increase the political pressure required to implement policies supporting shore power and shipping more broadly. These changes in the governance and organisation of shipping are essential to deliver the near-term emission cuts necessary for aligning UK shipping emissions with the Paris Agreement.