Morning, Monday, 19th October 2026
Online
This conference will examine next steps for maritime decarbonisation, taking place in the context of the expansion of the UK Emissions Trading Scheme to domestic maritime, the International Maritime Organization’s proposed Global Shipping Carbon Levy, and with the ongoing implementation of the Maritime Decarbonisation Strategy.
It will bring together stakeholders and policymakers to assess implications of the developing policy and regulatory framework for the sector’s transition to net zero, including practical approaches to reducing emissions, the impact of current measures, and where further action may be needed to support decarbonisation across the sector.
Finance, infrastructure & modernisation
We expect discussion on priorities for investment and infrastructure development across port upgrades, vessel retrofit, and sustainable fuel supply chains. Delegates will examine the support for innovation and early deployment being offered by programmes such as UK SHORE, the Clean Maritime Demonstration Competition, and Zero Emission Vessels and Infrastructure funding. Discussion will also consider practical approaches to addressing barriers to commercialisation and scale-up, including questions around private investment, supply chain resilience and port readiness.
UK Emissions Trading Scheme & international alignment
The conference will be an opportunity to assess the early implementation of maritime in the UK ETS following its introduction in July 2026, including the scope of coverage, monitoring, reporting and verification, compliance requirements, exemptions, and questions around future expansion to international voyages. Discussion will examine the impact of carbon pricing on operating costs, investment decisions, freight and passenger fares, as well as implications for UK competitiveness and carbon leakage.
Alignment with international frameworks will also be considered in light of the International Maritime Organization’s proposed global greenhouse gas pricing framework and wider international negotiations relating to maritime decarbonisation and net zero targets.
Alternative fuels
The planned agenda will also assess pathways to decarbonisation, in particular the role of alternative fuels such as hydrogen, ammonia, methanol, and electrification, alongside issues around cost, availability, supporting infrastructure, and long-term viability. Attendees will assess developments in scaling fuel production and distribution, alongside questions around future fuel pathways and implications for long-term investment decisions, alongside wider considerations for workforce and supply chain readiness.
Discussion will also consider how deployment can be supported, including approaches to scaling new technologies and infrastructure and addressing barriers to wider commercial uptake.
Overview of areas for discussion
- policy:
- delivery of the Maritime Decarbonisation Strategy - implications for meeting 2030, 2040, and 2050 emissions reduction targets
- outcomes of calls for evidence on decarbonising smaller vessels and net zero ports - alignment with wider UK energy, industrial, and transport strategies
- integration with wider transport decarbonisation and logistics systems - current policy and funding frameworks and potential areas for further intervention
- UK ETS:
- expansion of the UK ETS to domestic maritime - potential inclusion of international maritime voyages - monitoring, reporting, and verification readiness
- implications of carbon pricing for operational costs, freight rates, and passenger fares
- interaction with EU ETS, IMO greenhouse gas pricing proposals, and Net-Zero Framework negotiations - risk of carbon leakage
- investment and funding mechanisms:
- capital investment across vessel retrofit, port infrastructure, and fuel supply chains - addressing risk, policy uncertainty, and cost barriers
- role of UK SHORE, CMDC7, and ZEVI2 in supporting innovation and early deployment - private investment
- innovation and technology deployment:
- R&D and early-stage deployment - scaling technologies from demonstration to commercial deployment
- the Maritime Innovation Hub - barriers to uptake, routes to market, and industry collaboration
- operational efficiency measures, including voyage optimisation, slow steaming, and digital technologies - practical challenges in reducing emissions
- alternative fuels and decarbonisation pathways:
- viability of hydrogen, ammonia, methanol, biofuels, and electrification - comparative costs, safety considerations, technical readiness, and lifecycle emissions
- fuel availability, production capacity, and infrastructure readiness - transitional fuels and implications for long term investment decisions
- supply chain, workforce and infrastructure:
- net zero port development, shore power, and electrification - grid capacity and energy integration
- coordination between ports, shipping operators, energy providers, and local authorities - planning, consenting, and delivery
- supply chain readiness for vessel technologies, fuel production, and infrastructure delivery - implications for UK shipbuilding, coastal economies, and regional growth
- emerging skills requirements - training frameworks and workforce readiness for maritime decarbonisation
