The Maritime and Coastguard Agency has been at the forefront of
The Clean Maritime Demonstration Competition (CMDC), a
government-funded initiative to support the delivery of net zero
emissions across the maritime industry.
Delivered by Innovate UK on behalf of the Department for
Transport's UK Shipping Office for Reducing Emissions (UK SHORE)
programme, each iteration of the scheme awards funds in areas of
green technology, decarbonisation and skills
development.
CMDC round 6 is currently open for bidders until Wednesday 16
April, and invites UK-registered organisations to apply for their
share of a £30 million fund to pitch and develop innovative clean
maritime technologies and skills.
HQ Consultant Surveyor Gwen Lancaster has been involved with the
competition since its early stages. Gwen has helped provide the
programme with technical and specialist maritime
insight.
Essentially, the CMDC provides funding to projects that progress
innovative ideas and concepts,” she says.
The MCA provides technical maritime advice and insight to the
programme, guiding both the technology focus and advising on
aspects and areas that require certification, surveying or
regulatory compliance.
We're able to consider the regulatory pathway and how entirely
new products or inventions can be certified according to our
processes and standards.
Previous rounds of the CMDC have funded a diverse range of
projects, covering future fuels such as hydrogen and ammonia,
electrification of vessels and energy efficiency alongside
feasibility studies exploring concepts like UK green shipping
corridors in support of the Clydebank Declaration.
MCA's role in delivery of this programme is particularly key when
a project involves the integration of an innovative technology
with an existing ship, as a recent example the MCA supported the
integration and subsequent sea-trials of a 20m wing sail
developed by a consortium led by Smart Green Shipping, with the
sail being retrofit to the UK-flagged Pacific Grebe.
The sail, which operates autonomously, has the potential to
reduce energy demand and fuel consumption significantly, cutting
operating costs and CO2 emissions while aiding UK decarbonisation
efforts.
Gwen, who was part of the vessel's survey and inspection team,
said:
As the FastRig wing sail was retrofitted for use on a commercial
vessel, it required technical input from MCA Surveyors as well as
the vessels Classification Society Lloyd's Register.
It's a complex and thorough process but it is essential that all
the necessary steps are followed to ensure that the invention is
correctly certified, all safety considerations are made, and
relevant legislation is followed.
Our Marine Office audited and inspected the vessel, which was
then able to head to Southampton for demonstration and sea
trials.
Decarbonisation of the shipping industry is a key priority for
both UK and International shipping, and the MCA is committed to
supporting safe, sustainable innovation across the sector.
