Funding for zero emission projects focuses on batteries, ferries and wind
The UK will put up to £77m in like-for-like funding as it revitalises the country’s appetite for low emission shipping. The Zero Emission Vessels and Infrastructure competition falls under the £206m allocated for a UK Shipping Office for Reducing Emission, known as UK Shore, within the department of transport.
The £77m allocation is made available to cover the construction and set-up of projects over the next two years, until March 2025, with project partners covering all costs of demonstrating in an operational environment until March 2028.
The current span of specific technologies (running to April 2023) are battery powered electric vessels, including shore charging and power supply and alternative fuels and supply. The projects are to have a shore and shipboard component according to the application criteria.
Additional requirements are for projects that boost jobs and economic growth, be scalable, only sue the required technology and that all infrastructure that is funded is available to other operators.
The government press statement said the projects funded by this competition will help develop the wider clean maritime sector as well as inform future policy and regulatory decisions.
“All projects must include on-vessel technology and shoreside infrastructure, with project partners from ports or infrastructure owners and operators and vessel owners and operators. This ensures guaranteed supply and demand over the lifetime of ZEVI projects”.
Ferries are a particular focal point for the awards, and energy efficiency technologies will also be included
UK Shore
UK shore was launched in March 2022, with the government promising the new unit will “tackle shipping emissions and advance the UK towards a sustainable shipping future”. It stands for the UK Shipping Office for Reducing Emissions.
The £206m funding will. It said, accelerate research and development of technologies as well as support the UK’s refreshed shipbuilding strategy. The promise is that “Thousands of ships, cruises and vessels will become greener and cleaner” and it will relaunch manufacturing hotspots.
