UK pledges $43 million for sustainable shipping

The UK Government has committed £34 million ($43 million) of funding, which is part of the Clean Maritime Demonstration Competition (CMDC), for new technologies that will help decarbonise shipping.

As disclosed, the competition looks to foster and promote the continued progress towards reaching UK’s net zero goals through the development of novel and sustainable technologies.

Prospective bids will be assessed against a range of criteria to see how likely they will deliver on real world demonstrations of clean maritime technology. This can include everything from creating alternative fuel sources for freight ships to pushing the limits of battery powered vessels.

The funding round will open for applications on 2 August until 27 September.

A total of 105 projects across the UK have been awarded more than £95 million ($121 million) in the first 3 rounds of the CMDC to support the design and development of clean maritime solutions towards commercialisation. The latest round brings the total invested through the CMDC to £129 million ($165 million). 

“Pushing the boundaries of possibility is integral to the UK’s global ambition of a greener maritime sector. That’s why … new round of funding continues to set that course, not only keeping our climate goals on track but also boosting opportunities for private investment, new jobs and growing the economy,” Maritime Minister Baroness Charlotte Vere said.

One of the projects which received funding is Collins River Enterprises, which has been awarded £6 million of funding to demonstrate a zero-emission electric river ferry from Canary Wharf to Rotherhithe in London. The ferry will provide a sustainable alternative to a polluting drive or busy tube and create a blueprint for sustainable ferry crossings across the UK and around the world.

“Instilling confidence in the UK shipping industry to invest in new technologies and fuels is central to reaching net zero. This funding, with a focus on real world demonstrations, will help to do that and unlock investment from across the shipping community to deliver the technologies that will reduce emissions while ensuring shipping remains at the heart of the UK’s economy,” UK Chamber of Shipping Chief Executive Sarah Treseder stated.

The CMDC is funded by the UK Shipping Office for Reducing Emissions (UK SHORE) and delivered by Innovate UK. UK SHORE is a programme within the DfT focused on accelerating the technology necessary to decarbonise the domestic maritime sector and is delivering a suite of interventions aimed at addressing different barriers to maritime decarbonisation.