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£2.3 million grant to support the development of
trailblazing maritime technology
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government to work with the investment community to
help finance zero-emission shipping projects
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latest step in Department for Transport’s Clean
Maritime Plan
Britain is set to become a global hub for low-carbon maritime
technology, thanks to new government funding. Maritime Minister
has today (10 September 2019)
committed a further £1 million to fund new shipping technology
projects through MarRI-UK, a consortium of leading maritime
organisations.
MarRI-UK has already
allocated £1 million to support early stage clean maritime
projects. Today government is announcing a further £1 million for
technology and innovation projects, boosting the wealth of
maritime knowledge that exists in the UK to build an industry fit for the
future.
Maritime Minister 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 government is also announcing a push to bring financiers and
budding entrepreneurs together to help innovation flourish in the
sector.
The new Green Finance for Maritime conference in Summer 2020 will
bring together representatives from the government, financial
services and technology sector to build relationships and broker
new deals.
This will help cement the UK’s position as a global hub for the
provision of green finance and move the UK even further towards
zero-emission shipping.
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.
The UK has already
taken a proactive role in driving this move in UK waters and is seen globally as a
role model in zero-emission shipping.
Existing projects in this area include:
- hybrid ferries being used between Portsmouth and the Isle of
Wight and in Scotland
- shore-side electricity at Portsmouth, Fraserburgh and Brodick
ports driving down emissions from running engines
- a project in Orkney exploring how to directly inject hydrogen
into the fuel supply of ferries, reducing Co2 emissions
Smart shipping and clean maritime, are key strands of the
government’s Maritime 2050
strategy, a long term look at the opportunities for the
sector for the next 30 years.
These new initiatives are helping the government deliver on its
bold Clean Maritime Plan,
published earlier this year to set out how it intends to clean up
the sector and move to zero-emission shipping.
