The UK government has announced £1m (€1.12m) in funding for innovation in low and zero emission shipping technologies.
The funding will be delivered through MarRI-UK, a consortium of maritime industry bodies dedicated to supporting maritime research and innovation in the UK, which has already distributed £1m to an array of early stage clean and zero emission shipping research and development projects. The government’s Maritime 2050 strategy, which lays out plans and priorities for the UK’s maritime sector over the next 30 years, has identified smart shipping and emissions reduction as key priorities for the evolution of the shipping industry.
Maritime Minister Nusrat Ghani said: “I am delighted to announce this fantastic funding for pioneering research, bringing the UK ever closer to zero emission shipping. The UK continues to lead the way on the global stage, playing a key role in reaching an international agreement to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from shipping by at least 50% in 2050. This latest investment will help ensure our great maritime nation remains sustainable years into the future.”
The UK, which aims to be a world leader in zero emission shipping, has already implemented a number of clean maritime projects, including:
- The deployment of hybrid powered ferries in Scotland and the South of England;
- Shoreside electricity provision at the ports of Brodick, Fraserburgh and Portsmouth, aimed at reducing emissions from vessels in port; and
- An ongoing project based in Orkney developing ways to reduce shipping emissions by introducing hydrogen directly into ships’ fuel supply.
Sarah Kenny, Vice Chair of Maritime UK, said: “The UK is home to world leading maritime technology, particularly in automation. We want to be leaders in the key areas of decarbonisation and digitisation too. MarRI-UK is the first collaborative body in the sector that brings together expertise from all parts of the sector. We back decarbonisation by 2050; and by working collaboratively with government, we will achieve this. Already across Britain we’re seeing promising progress: from hybrid ferries to hydrogen fuel, the sector is tackling the challenge head on.”
