Demand for ports to 2050: Climate policy, growing trade and the impacts of sea level 2010-2050

Hanson, S E and Nicholls, R J (2021). Demand for ports to 2050: Climate policy, growing trade and the impacts of sea level 2010-2050. [Data Collection]. Colchester, Essex: UK Data Service. 10.5255/UKDA-SN-854436

Our vision is to create an enduring, multidisciplinary and independent research community strongly linked to industry and capable of informing the policy making process by developing new knowledge and understanding on the subject of the shipping system, its energy efficiency and emissions, and its transition to a low carbon, more resilient future.
Shipping in Changing Climates (SCC) is the embodiment of that vision: a multi-university, multi-disciplinary consortium of leading UK academic institutions focused on addressing the interconnected research questions that arise from considering shipping's possible response over the next few decades due to changes in:
- climate (sea level rise, storm frequency)
- regulatory climate (mitigation and adaptation policy)
- macroeconomic climate (increased trade, differing trade patterns, higher energy prices)
Building on RCUK Energy programme's substantial (~2.25m) investment in this area: Low Carbon Shipping and High Seas projects, this research will provide crucial input into long-term strategic planning (commercial and policy) for shipping, in order to enable the sector to transition the next few decades with minimum disruption of the essential global services (trade, transport, economic growth, food and fuel security) that it provides.

Data description (abstract)

These data provide decadal estimates of port areas required based on future predictions of trade to 2050 under four climate-related policy scenarios. Also included are projections of relative sea-level rise and cost estimates for (i) adaptation to the anticipated sea-level rise under each scenario, and (ii) construction of any new port area required.
The resilience of shipping infrastructure and trade to future climate impacts has implications for shipping globally and locally. As a service to other sectors, it will need to adjust to new patterns of economic growth whilst, at the same time, dealing with its own climate challenges. Key among sector concerns is the provision of suitable port infrastructure capable of handling the transfer of sea-borne trade to land based transport systems.

Data creators: