UK to hand out more green shipping cash
The sixth round of the Clean Maritime Demonstration Competition will make £30m available in funding for decarbonisation projects
Previous competition rounds have seen funding delivered to more than 300 organisations, including a manufacturer of wind-powered sails in Hull
THE UK government will make a further £30m ($36.5m) in funding available for selected maritime decarbonisation projects, as it opens the sixth round of its Clean Maritime Demonstration Competition later this month.
The scheme has handed out £159m in funding to more than 300 organisations so far, including wind propulsion manufacturer GT Wing.
GT Wing is assembling the first version of its AirWing wind sail in Hull, which will be installed on a Carisbrooke Shipping vessel. Carisbrooke owns and operates 22 dry bulk and multipurpose vessels from the Isle of Wight, UK and Rotterdam.
Its senior fleet manager, Captain Simon Merritt, said the AirWing would significantly reduce fuel consumption and emissions.
“This project has been accelerated with funding from Department for Transport and Innovate UK under CMDC Round 4.
“It demonstrates the power of collaboration between leading British companies, turning innovative ideas into real solutions to decarbonise the maritime industry, while creating job opportunities in the UK,” he said.
Maritime minister Mike Kane said he was “proud to see this funding boost growth and create jobs throughout the UK, as well as ushering in an era of zero-emission shipping”.
Innovate UK, which runs the scheme alongside the Department for Transport, will open the sixth round to applications on January 24. The deadline for applications is April 16.