Dover has become the first port in the UK to achieve carbon net zero emissions (Scope 1 and 2) for 2025.

The achievement for Port of Dover comes at least five years ahead of any other UK port target and 25 years ahead of the UK Government’s maritime target.

Its emissions for Scope 1 and 2 have fallen 98.3% from 2007, with residual emissions being offset through a local regenerative farming scheme issued under the UK Carbon Code of Conduct.

The announcement comes shortly after external verification of the port’s 2025 emissions was received, (against ISO 14064 and the GHG Protocols Corporate Accounting and Reporting Standard). The Short Straits counts for eight percent of all UK maritime emissions, so this news is a significant step forward for the future of maritime decarbonisation.

Doug Bannister, CEO of the Port of Dover, said:  “We are proud to be celebrating this milestone moment, which has seen our carbon emissions reduce drastically from nearly 14,000 tonnes 18 years ago.

“Since setting our goal four years ago, people from across the Port have all contributed to this incredible result.  Our brilliant in-house environment team has implemented modern and forward-thinking assets, sustainable processes and progressive behaviours across all areas of the Port to get here. This has then given us the tools for our customers, partners and internal stakeholders to follow.”

 He added: “We are not stopping here. We want Dover to be a global leader, putting the UK on the global stage as home to the world’s first high-volume Green Shipping Corridor here on the Short Straits. This sustainability drive is an essential part of our Port of Dover 2050 Masterplan, helping to protect the UK’s competitiveness and drive economic growth in an efficient and sustainable manner.”

Aviation, maritime and decarbonisation minister, Keir Mather, said: “It’s fantastic to see the Port of Dover charting the course for a cleaner maritime future, showing net zero port operations are becoming a reality in Britain.

 “UK shipping is vital to our national prosperity. That’s why we’re supporting industry with £448m to develop clean fuels and technologies to support skilled jobs, cut carbon emissions and drive growth in our coastal communities.”

Some of the port’s achievements include purchasing sustainably sourced HVO (hydrotreated vegetable oil) to operate machinery, installing 1.5MW of on-site solar generation and purchasing renewable electricity and using LED lighting and heating controls.