Dredging plan to 'bring greener and cleaner ships'

A navigation channel within a Devon harbour is set to dredged, a council says.

Plymouth City Council said the improvements to Cattewater Harbour had been designed to "attract more cargo and bigger, greener vessels".

It said the modest port optimisation project would provide "safe navigational channels for slightly larger hulls", which were set out in the Plymouth and South Devon Freeports's Full Business Case.

The council told its accountable body for the Plymouth and South Devon Freeport it was formally allocating a grant of £381,713.32 from the government, as part of the Freeport's Seed Capital programme, to Cattewater Harbour Commissioners to contract the work.

Tudor Evans, council leader, said about two million tonnes of cargo worth £1bn were imported and exported from the commercial wharves and quays at Cattewater every year.

"Maritime has been the beating heart of this city for centuries, and, for that to remain, we need to ensure we can welcome the ships of the future to Plymouth," said Mr Evans.

He described it as an "exciting time" for Plymouth as shipping and more companies were investing in hybrid ships using greener fuel technologies.

Mr Evans added: "Ship sizes continue to grow and the new ships being built for this trade route are larger.

“Key ships currently serving Plymouth routes are coming to the end of their operational life and some operators will acquire new ships to replace them.

"We need to keep ahead of this next wave of maritime development.”

CEO and Harbour Master of Cattewater Harbour Commissioners Captain Richard Allan said they were seeing a "significant change" in how ships were fuelled, and the market was opening to more shipping routes.

He said: “New hybrid ships which use greener fuel technologies are already being commissioned by companies.

"We need to attract newer greener ships to Plymouth routes – and they need to be able to navigate alongside the wharves.

“The long-term environmental benefits of this project are considerable."

He added the city's maritime industries were working towards net zero and new ships would reduce their carbon footprint, reducing its scope to three emissions.

"Last year, around 50,000 tonnes had to be transported by road into the city rather than by sea due to the lack of capacity at the port," added Mr Allan.

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