National Grid Electricity Transmission has partnered with Siemens to launch a free digital tool to help UK ports decarbonise their operations.

The so-called Decarbonisation Tool is designed to help port authorities understand their future energy requirements and how they can deploy greener energy management solutions.

The offering creates an estimate of the peak power demand for the port based on information about assets, including the number of berths, the types of cranes and the number of car parking spaces.

Mark Simmonds, Director of Policy and External Affairs, British Ports Association, said: “With the support of the Decarbonisation Tool, UK ports can begin to plan their transition to alternative fuel-powered vessels using energy from low or zero-emission sources, as well as the integration of ports into the decarbonised energy network.”

Dr Russell Fowler, Senior Project Manager for Decarbonisation of Transport at National Grid, commented: “To meet the UK’s net zero targets, all modes of transport will need to decarbonise, no matter the scale and complexity, with a likely increased demand for electricity.”

The maritime sector is responsible for 5% of UK transport emissions.

During COP26, 18 countries joined what was described as the first-ever framework to create zero-emission ocean shipping corridors.

In September, the government said that it supported a zero global shipping emissions target by 2050.