In a report on the government’s Maritime 2050 strategy, the committee called for investment in new technology, cleaner fuels and workforce training so the UK’s sector can compete with the world.
According to the committee, the government aspires for the UK to revitalise ports and coastal communities by investing in technology, in turn making the UK more competitive – but the industry sees its net-zero emissions target as its biggest challenge.
The committee said it is working on a follow up to its 2019 Clean Maritime Plan, with aspirations that by 2025 all new vessels ordered for use in UK waters will have zero-emission propulsion capability, and that the UK will be in the process of building clean maritime clusters.
The government recognised in its first Clean Maritime Plan "the market may benefit from further policy certainty" – therefore, the transport committee urged the DfT to bring forward the refreshed plan without further delay.
The committee also argued for long-term investments in scaling up mature technologies that will help the sector reach net-zero, as, according to the transport committee, R&D funding can only take innovation so far.
Transport committee chair Iain Stewart said: "All the evidence we received about the UK’s maritime sector has shown it is resilient, entrepreneurial, and used to working independently from government.
"Nonetheless, there is an array of things government should do to support the sector and help it achieve its ambitions to decarbonise and remain a positive force on the world stage and for the UK economy."
