Carbon footprint of cargo ship in the United Kingdom 2023, by type

The average carbon footprint of cargo ships operating within the United Kingdom varies greatly by type. In 2023, large RoPax ferries, or cruise ships, had the largest emissions per metric ton of goods shipped per kilometer, at 376.12 grams of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO₂e). In comparison, bulk carriers emitted 3.54 grams of CO₂e per metric ton of goods shipped per kilometer.

Emissions at UK ports

The south coast city of Southampton is home to the most polluting port in the UK. The Port of Southampton’s maritime supply chain emissions amounted to roughly 1.6 million metric tons of CO₂ (MtCO₂) in 2018 (the most recent available data). That same year, the UK had the fourth-largest maritime supply chain emissions in Europe. This was mainly due to the UK being an island nation with a large number of ports.

UK GHG emissions from shipping

UK greenhouse gas emissions from shipping amounted to almost 11.4 MtCO₂e in 2020, of which domestic shipping accounted for roughly 46 percent. Annual domestic shipping emissions in the UK decreased by 37 percent between 1990 and 2020. Shipping accounts for roughly five percent of UK transportation emissions.