Associated British Ports (ABP), UK’s major port group, has officially unveiled Ready for Tomorrow (RFT), a broad new sustainability strategy backed by a plan to invest around US$2.4 billion (GB£2 billion) in decarbonising its own operations by 2040 at the latest and major infrastructure projects to support the wider UK energy transition.
For ABP’s internal activities, Ready for Tomorrow names five action areas: Net Zero, air quality, biodiversity, waste management, and water management. To accomplish ambitious but realistic goals, each focal area has a programme of action plans, including action ideas from ABP workers in ABP’s terminals and other places. This involves ABP’s commitment to achieve Net Zero emission operations by 2040.
“The launch of ABP’s sustainability strategy marks an important moment in the UK economy’s transition to net zero emissions,” stated Nick Molho, executive director of the Aldersgate Group.
ABP’s future major projects portfolio, along with industrial partners, includes bold, transformational developments in South Wales, the Solent, Humber and East Anglia. These cover floating offshore wind (including a major integration port hub centred on Port Talbot), hydrogen, carbon capture and storage, industrial decarbonisation and alternative fuels.
ABP said that cooperation with the UK government is crucial. “To develop a supportive, collaborative and consistent policy environment, to progress approvals and consents in a timely manner and to, on occasion, deploy pump priming or bridging support in cases of market failure,” pointed out the UK association.
