24 May 2022
A £12m clean maritime competition to tackle shipping emissions and propel innovative projects forward has been announced. The competition will work to push forward international green shipping corridors, fulfilling the UK’s COP26 commitment, as well as domestic green ferry sailings.
A new clean shipping unit, UK SHORE, supports the UK’s voyage to net zero shipping by 2050, and will support thousands of skilled jobs around the country
Zero emission ferries, submarines and vessels are one step closer to being a reality, as the Maritime Minister Robert Courts today (24 May 2022) confirmed £12 million funding to support zero emission sailings.
Now in its second year, the Clean Maritime Demonstration Competition (CMDC) was born out of the Prime Minister’s 10-point plan to tackle carbon emissions. The latest funding cements the UK’s position as world leaders in clean sailing technologies and supports the creation of thousands of skilled jobs across the UK.
Dedicated to creating a world free from shipping emissions, UK SHORE will also look at tackling numerous shipping emission challenges and the unit will consider ways to support the industry to create domestic zero emission ferry sailings.
Robert Courts, Minister for Maritime said:
“I want to see a new green age for maritime free from emissions. Our competition has been designed with industry to support a shipping future that uses the most creative and innovative ways for people and goods to sail in greener ways.”
“At COP26 we pledged to create a green maritime legacy for generations to come, and UK SHORE puts us at the forefront of the global greener maritime revolution – supporting thousands of green jobs around the country.”
The Maritime Minister announced the funding for the competition in Portsmouth, as he met with some of the 55 winners from last year’s competition. Some of the previous winners showcased their projects – including a hybrid remotely operated vessel and wind turbine charge points.
Fulfilling the Clydebank Declaration agreed at COP26 to create international green shipping corridors, the next round of funding will support both feasibility studies and pre-deployment trials and shipping corridors.
The £206 million research and development funding for UK SHORE was announced as part of the National Shipbuilding Strategy in March 2022. This investment will accelerate the sector’s transition to a cleaner future supporting our voyage to net zero in 2050.