Written question WQ88929

I welcome the development of this new technology and will keep a watching brief as this technology evolves to see if it can be facilitated across Welsh Ports and used by the shipping companies which access our Ports.

The Cargill Pyxis Ocean project is part of a €10 million EU Horizon 2020 project called CHEK with Bar Technology, Sliverstream and Lloyd's Register being UK partners. This international collaboration illustrates the benefits of participation in EU programmes.

After two and a half years of delay, it is vital that the UK and the EU conclude negotiations on the UK’s association to the Horizon Europe programme. A series of EU information days will take place this autumn; it would be a boost to the UK for our status in the programme to be resolved well before then. In 2024 there will be over €1 billion EU funding available for green and digital transitions to achieve climate neutrality.

As you are aware the shipping industry is a highly competitive global industry and the manufacturers of vessels and the business who use them will dictate which new technology the market decides to use in the future.

Most of the shipping industry is reserved to the UK Government. Wales’s maritime emissions consist of both domestic shipping emissions and a share of international shipping emissions based on the amount of fuel taken from bunkers to support international shipping. Domestic shipping vessels standards are a reserved UK Policy lead but port infrastructure and planning has a strong devolved element.

We will continue to look to support projects that deliver sustainable ports infrastructure and ensure we work with the Welsh Ports Group and other partners on a Welsh Ports and Maritime Strategy for Wales which is aligned to our net zero targets. Under the Climate Change (International Aviation and International Shipping) (Wales) Regulations 2018, international aviation and shipping emissions are subject to the overall targets set out in the 2016 Environment (Wales) Act.

We continue to work closely with the UKG to ensure that Welsh based businesses and academia have a fair share and access to the UK Clean Maritime program delivered by Innovate UK, to invest millions in innovation projects to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from shipping.