Membership

University of Liverpool becomes MarRI-UK's seventh UK Unversity Member

Green Fuels Research demonstrates 100% sustainable marine fuel refined from salmon farming waste – a world first

An important stage on the long voyage to marine transport decarbonisation was reached yesterday when Green Fuels Research (GFR), a pioneer in renewable fuels, successfully demonstrated use of unblended sustainable marine fuel (SMF) at Eglwys Nunydd Reservoir near Port Talbot, South Wales. The fuel was used in a Beta Marine B14 engine aboard a motor launch operated by C-Fury Limited.

The 100% renewable fuel demonstration was the culmination of SALMO (Sustainable Aquaculture Leading to Marine Opportunities), a Maritime Research and Innovation UK (MarRI-UK) initiative supported by the UK Department for Transport. The project, a collaboration between GFR, the University of Cardiff and Lancaster University, addressed two challenges: decarbonisation of UK shipping and sustainable management of animal by-product (ABP) waste from UK aquaculture.

“We are thrilled to have proved today, in UK waters, that this truly sustainable hydrocarbon is comparable in properties to marine distillates and suitable as a drop-in fuel for marine engines, without modification to propulsion or fuel systems, and without additives or restrictions on blend percentages,” said GFR Chief Strategy Officer Dr Paul Hilditch.

The press release can be found here.

MarRI-UK announces funding for SPINE (Shipping and Port Interfaces In New Era) project

A consortium of nine organisations led by MSE International, has been awarded £1.06 as part of the Smart Maritime Land Operations Call. 

The call was launched in November 2020 as part of a Maritime Research and Innovation UK (MarRI-UK) initiative supported by the Department for Transport (DfT), aiming to fund a single project or multiple linked projects that would enable the automation of operations in the land/water interface, supporting both infrastructure and operations.

A Smart Hydrogen Highway project to develop a national hydrogen highway network, integrating land, sea and port, led by Port of London Authority, was announced as the successful project last year. Additional funding was granted for SPINE project given its strong potential in project impact and benefits for the maritime sector, innovative aspect, strategic fit with maritime 2050, alignment with MarRI-UK Vision and the project’s overall value for money.

Maritime Minister Robert Courts said:

“The introduction of autonomous vessels alongside the shipping sector’s ongoing energy transition will make shipping more efficient, greener, and safer. To advance capability in these areas, significant changes to port and connected infrastructure are required.

By investigating the integration of autonomous vessels, port operations and energy infrastructure, SPINE will help make the UK a world leader in the future of maritime, and help realise the Maritime 2050 vision of driving the transition to zero emission shipping in UK waters.” 

The Press Release can be found here.

MarRI-UK Publishes Report on Smart Shipping Technology

MarRI-UK has published a report that highlights the most important drivers underpinning the development of smart shipping technologies in the UK. The report was an outcome of the research commissioned by MarRI-UK and paid for by the Department for Transport (DfT). A consortium led by London Economics, supported by NLAI and Marine South East, was selected to undertake the research. The report focuses on the UK’s strengths in smart shipping technology and provides economic and technology data to inform the DfT’s approach to supporting the smart shipping sector in the UK.

John Howie MBE, Chair of MarRI-UK, said:

“MarRI-UK’s report squarely underpins the Department for Transport’s Maritime 2050 Strategy: Navigating the Future, and demonstrates the value of industry and academia collaborating to highlight the economic benefits linked to investment within the Maritime Sector."

The press release can be found here

The report can be found here