Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that regional domestic ferry operators affected by a lack of grid capacity and grid connections are supported to meet the goals of the Maritime Decarbonisation Strategy.

The Government is aware that grid connectivity is a challenge for the maritime sector. Government is taking action to reform the grid connections process to ensure that ports can access the grid connections that they need, including to enable ferry electrification.

Through the policies set out in the Government’s Maritime Decarbonisation Strategy and our international work at the International Maritime Organization, we have set a strategic framework that provides the certainty that the sector needs to invest in maritime decarbonisation, supported by our £448m research programme in maritime fuels and technologies, UK SHORE.

This Government will also continue to work with Ofgem, the independent energy regulator, in its work to incentivise network companies to invest strategically ahead of need, ensuring that future grid capacity planning better reflects the emerging demands from electrifying sectors, including the ferry sector.

We ran a call for evidence on ports’ energy needs to inform our future maritime emissions policy. A response will be published later this year.