New Research Hub Announced to Decarbonise UK Shipping Industry

The UK-MaRes Hub hub brings together 13 universities and over 70 organisations to decarbonise the shipping industry and support green economic growth.

The UK has announced the launch of a new maritime research hub to decarbonise the shipping industry and support green economic growth.

Known as the UK-MaRes Hub, the new initiative will be led by Durham University and will conduct innovative research in:

  • Sustainable marine fuels and their safe use.
  • Low-carbon power and propulsion systems for shipping.
  • Decarbonised port operations and infrastructure.
  • Improved maritime operations.
  • Vessel efficiency.

It will address research challenges in:

  • Low and zero-emission fuels, energy sources and vessel technologies for the maritime sector.
  • Land side infrastructure required to enable the uptake of low and zero-emission fuels, energy sources and vessel technologies by the maritime sector.
  • The role of energy efficiency solutions in facilitating the uptake of low and zero-emission fuels, energy sources and vessel technologies by the maritime sector.

The hub was announced by Minister for Aviation, Maritime and Security Baroness Vere during Clean Maritime Day at London International Shipping Week. It will receive £7.4 million from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) and DfT, while matched funding from project partners is being secured increasing to more than £10 million by the end of the hub.

UK-MaRes is a consortium of 13 universities led by Durham and includes researchers from:

  • Aston University
  • University of Birmingham
  • University of Brighton
  • City, University of London
  • Cranfield University
  • University of Liverpool
  • Newcastle University
  • University of Nottingham
  • The University of Sheffield
  • Solent University
  • University of St Andrews
  • Ulster University

It also brings together over 70 industrial, civic and international organisations as project partners, including shipping companies, ports, equipment and service providers, fuel producers and civic bodies.

Professor Tony Roskilly, Director of the UK-MaRes Hub at Durham University, said:

‘Our vision is to create a pioneering research hub providing technically, environmentally, socially and economically informed ways to decarbonise the maritime sector.

‘The UK-MaRes Hub will harness the depth, breadth and diversity of research being undertaken in the UK to foster collaboration, drive forward innovation and transformation, and set a global benchmark for excellence in maritime research.’

Further details of the announcement are available at the UKRI website.

(This report was the subject of a ResearchConnect Newsflash.)