Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, how his Department has accounted for the availability of decarbonisation alternatives on Northern Ireland ferry routes when assessing the proportionality of ETS implementation.

The UK ETS is technology-neutral, incentivising cost-effective decarbonisation.

Through UK ETS and policies in the Maritime Decarbonisation Strategy, the Government is providing strategic certainty for investment. For example, backed by NatPower Marine's £10m of private investment, Heysham is expected to have its first shore power plug this year. The UK SHORE research programme received £448m in September 2025 to accelerate clean maritime technologies. The use of eligible sustainable maritime fuels are incentivised under the UK ETS through zero-rating.

The Government continues to engage with industry, including Northern Ireland ferry operators, to support infrastructure delivery and uptake of clean maritime technologies.