7 July 2023
RMT Press Office:
SEAFARERS Union RMT today responded to the Government’s distribution of another £34m to fund competition for shipping decarbonisation projects.
RMT general secretary Mick Lynch said:
“We recognise that shipping and every other part of the transport network needs to decarbonise, including the fleets of crew transfer and other vessels delivering clean energy from renewable offshore sources.
“Unfortunately, the latest tranche from the £206m budget for shipping decarbonisation continues to prioritise competition and the illusion of ‘green shipping corridors’ over seafarer jobs and maritime safety.
“It’s not good enough for the Government to be agnostic over technology whilst the likes of P&O greenwash their unlawful actions against British workers.
“RMT is extremely concerned that the failure to link this public funding to training and employment for maritime workers is a defect that will sink this Government’s Maritime 2050 strategy.”
END
Notes to editors
- DfT have announced £34m of public funding from the UK Shipping Office for Reducing Emissions (UK SHORE), for projects aimed at decarbonising shipping to apply for. This is the fourth round in the Government’s Clean Maritime Demonstration Competition. https://www.gov.uk/government/news/cleaner-shipping-gets-34-million-boost-with-next-round-of-innovative-tech-funding
- The UK Shipping Office for Reducing Shipping Emissions is overseeing a £206m budget to stimulate investment in low and zero carbon shipping. https://www.gov.uk/government/news/dft-launches-uk-shore-to-take-maritime-back-to-the-future-with-green-investment
- P&O Ferries received over £58,000 from the first round of the CMDC, as part of the Dover Clean Ferry Power (DCFP) consortium. The electric hybrid vessel P&O Pioneer was introduced on the Dover-Calais route on 19 June, with overseas agency crew working up to 17 weeks without shore leave for pay below the National Minimum Wage. A second electric hybrid vessel, P&O Liberte will be introduced at the end of the year. Both are flagged in Cyprus.
- There is currently no electric recharging capacity in Dover and no shore side power report has been delivered anywhere in the world without significant public investment, which the UK SHORE budget does not cover.
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