Maritime and the environment

Control and prevention of ship and port pollution, waste, garbage, greenhouse gases, ballast water, oil pollution and MARPOL.

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Guidance and regulation

• Disposing of unwanted distress flares
  • Detailed guide
  • 1 January 2023
  • Maritime and Coastguard Agency and Department for Transport
• Transport decarbonisation plan
  • Guidance
  • 12 January 2023
  • Department for Transport
• MCA customer process for alternative fuels - ammonia
  • Guidance
  • 16 April 2025
  • Maritime and Coastguard Agency
• MGN 664 (M+F) Amendment 1: Certification process for vessels using innovative technology
  • Guidance
  • 22 September 2023
  • Maritime and Coastguard Agency
• Prevent pollution and reduce harmful emissions at sea
  • Detailed guide
  • 22 November 2017
  • Maritime and Coastguard Agency

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News and communications

• Securing a greener future with cleaner maritime technology
  • 2 April 2025
  • Maritime and Coastguard Agency
  • News story
• AUKUS Maritime Innovation Challenge 2025: Undersea Communications and Autonomy
  • 31 March 2025
  • Defence and Security Accelerator
  • News story
• Decarbonisation in the maritime sector is a priority for the MCA
  • 28 March 2025
  • Maritime and Coastguard Agency
  • News story
• Course charted for carbon free shipping by 2050
  • 25 March 2025
  • Department for Transport
  • Press release
• ‘World’s first’ dual-fuel ammonia-powered vessel arrives in the UK
  • 6 March 2025
  • Maritime and Coastguard Agency
  • Press release

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Research and statistics

• Evaluating UK Shipping Office for Reducing Emissions
  • 25 March 2025
  • Department for Transport
  • Research
• Exercise Phoenix
  • 7 October 2022
  • Maritime and Coastguard Agency, Department for Transport, and Offshore Petroleum Regulator for Environment and Decommissioning
  • Research
• Marine pollution survey conducted by ACOPS
  • 8 September 2022
  • Maritime and Coastguard Agency
  • Research
• Decarbonising transport: one-year-on review
  • 14 July 2022
  • Department for Transport
  • Research
• Tees Valley multi-modal hydrogen transport hub
  • 17 March 2021
  • Department for Transport
  • Research

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Policy papers and consultations

• Consultation on draft merchant shipping (anti-fouling systems) regulations 2024
  • 29 February 2024
  • Maritime and Coastguard Agency
  • Consultation outcome
  • Date closed 11 December 2023
• Consultation on amendments to the merchant shipping (prevention of pollution by garbage from ships) regulations 2020 and the merchant shipping (prevention of pollution by sewage from ships) regulations 2020.
  • 20 February 2024
  • Maritime and Coastguard Agency
  • Consultation outcome
  • Date closed 13 November 2023
• Decarbonising smaller vessels
  • 25 March 2025
  • Department for Transport
  • Open call for evidence
• Maritime decarbonisation strategy
  • 25 March 2025
  • Department for Transport
  • Policy paper
• Net zero ports: challenges and opportunities
  • 25 March 2025
  • Department for Transport
  • Open call for evidence

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Transparency and freedom of information releases

• Multi-year clean maritime demonstration competition
  • 24 January 2025
  • Department for Transport and Innovate UK
  • Transparency
• Zero Emission Vessels and Infrastructure (ZEVI) competition winners
  • 11 September 2023
  • Department for Transport
  • Transparency
• MCA: Annual report and accounts 2017 to 2018
  • 19 July 2018
  • Maritime and Coastguard Agency
  • Corporate report
• Total greenhouse gas emissions from transport
  • 26 February 2015
  • Department for Transport
  • Transparency

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Organisations

• Department for Transport
• Maritime & Coastguard Agency
• Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs
• Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office
• Home Office

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• Ministry of Defence
• Offshore Petroleum Regulator for Environment & Decommissioning
• Defence and Security Accelerator
• Department for Energy Security & Net Zero
• Department for Science, Innovation & Technology
• Regulatory Horizons Council

• Environment Agency
• UK Hydrographic Office