Jessica O'ConnorCoastal communities across the UK are set to receive a £30m funding boost aimed at supporting clean maritime innovation and local employment.
The announcement, made today by Maritime Minister Mike Kane during a visit to Clydeport in Glasgow, comes as part of the sixth round of the Clean Maritime Demonstration Competition (CMDC).
The funding will be distributed among a range of companies developing low-emission fuels and clean technologies, including ammonia, hydrogen, methanol, solar, and electric solutions.
While the Government frames the investment as part of its broader plan to position the UK as a leader in clean energy, the funding is also expected to deliver more immediate impacts for workers and businesses across coastal areas.
Maritime Minister Mike Kane said: “It’s so exciting to see investment in green fuels and technologies spurring on skills, innovation and manufacturing across the UK, delivering on our Plan for Change missions to kickstart economic growth and become a clean energy superpower.
“We’ve charted a course to net zero shipping by 2050 and this £30 million will be crucial in supporting the green fuels and technologies of the future, so we can clean up sea travel and trade.”
The Clean Maritime Demonstration Competition has so far delivered over £136m to 142 organisations.
As part of the wider UK SHORE programme, over 300 organisations – including around 250 small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) – have been involved in efforts to decarbonise maritime transport. Examples of funded initiatives include electric chargepoint installations at ports like Aberdeen, electric crew transfer vessel trials at the Aberdeen Offshore Wind Farm, and green hydrogen shore power systems at the Port of Leith.
Chris Courtney, CEO of NMIS, emphasised the broader implications for employment and local industry:
“Clean maritime is a vital part of a wider mission to decarbonise transport.
“Advanced manufacturing is critical to enable companies to scale up novel solutions that deliver emissions reductions and allow the creation of new jobs in these industries of the future.
“We’ve spent the past 2 years working on the CMDC-funded MariLight projects, led by Glasgow-based Malin Marine Consultants, part of the Malin Group, supported by industry partners, where we demonstrated how advanced manufacturing can cut lead times, lower carbon, and enable localised production in shipbuilding.
“It’s great to see continued momentum through the programme, and we look forward to supporting Smart Green Shipping’s journey as it scales.”
Diane Gilpin, CEO of Smart Green Shipping, added: “CMDC3 support enabled SGS, a Scottish based business, to demonstrate the safety and robustness of FastRig, our Clyde built wingsails, and to build out our digital decision-making platform, FastReach, which underpins our unique wind-as-a-service proposition.
“Over the last three years SGS has invested £7.6 million in R&D, 60% of that in Scotland. We’ve drawn upon engineering design skills in adjacent sectors like renewables and oil and gas, and digital expertise created in Scotland’s vibrant tech community.
“We are also working alongside the National Manufacturing Institute of Scotland to design circular manufacturing solutions to reduce embedded emissions and minimise use of precious materials while creating good green jobs as part of a sustainable just transition.”
