Clean Maritime Demonstration Competition 7: Deployment trials

Overview

Innovate UK is investing up to £121 million, through funding from the Department for Transport, as part of Round 7 of the Clean Maritime Demonstration Competition. Delivered under the UK Shipping Office for Reducing Emissions programme, this competition supports the UK’s ambition to lead in clean maritime technology and accelerate progress towards net zero.

Funding is available for projects focused on clean maritime innovation and is structured across three strands: deployment trials, pre-deployment trials and feasibility studies. Applicants must ensure they apply to the correct strand, as submissions cannot be transferred if they fall out of scope.

The deployment strand supports large-scale, real-world demonstrations in operational settings. Projects must develop, test and deploy innovative clean maritime technologies for vessels, maritime infrastructure, or both. The pre-deployment strand supports projects that design, develop and test technologies without live deployment. The feasibility strand funds primarily desk-based technical and economic studies that prepare technologies or skills initiatives for future real-world demonstration.

Scope

The aim of the Deployment trials strand is to fund real world demonstrations of innovative clean maritime technologies in an operational setting. Proposals must develop, test and deploy innovative clean maritime technologies for on-vessel or maritime infrastructure use, or both.

If applicants do not intend to deploy solutions in an operational environment, they must apply to either:

·       Pre-deployment trials: for projects that design, develop and test technology but do not deploy it in an operational environment

·       Feasibility studies: for projects that undertake a primarily desk based technical and economic feasibility study

If there is any doubt about which strand to apply to, applicants must contact support@iuk.ukri.org at least 10 working days before the competition closes. Applications submitted to the wrong strand will be ineligible and will not be assessed.

Definitions

For this competition, maritime is defined as the activity of commercial and pleasure vessels and supporting infrastructure, used in the transportation of people and goods by water, or to perform activities at offshore installations at sea and in inland waterways.

Deployment is defined as demonstrating the technology in a real world environment. For example, operating a sea-going vessel at sea or operating infrastructure in a port or offshore, connected to a vessel on the water if applicable.

A feasibility study is defined as primarily desk based research. Feasibility studies may include data collection from existing technology deployments but must not incur substantial costs towards developing and testing technology.

Well-to-wake emissions are defined as the sum of well-to-tank and tank-to-wake emissions. Tank-to-wake emissions are the emissions generated by operating maritime vessels. Well-to-tank emissions are the emissions from the production and distribution of the fuels and other energy sources used by maritime vessels. For more details see:

·       Box 1 in the Maritime Decarbonisation Strategy Analytical Annex

·       the IMO framework on life cycle GHG intensity of marine fuels

The difference between low carbon fuels and zero and near zero GHG emission fuels is described in Box 3 of the Maritime Decarbonisation Strategy. Since publication of the Maritime Decarbonisation Strategy, the International Maritime Organisation has approved amendments to the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships that include a definition of zero and near zero GHG emission fuels.

For the purposes of this competition, zero and near zero GHG emission fuels are defined as fuels with a GHG Fuel Intensity (GFI) of no more than 19.0 grams of carbon dioxide equivalent (gCO2eq) per megajoule (MJ). GFI must be calculated on a well-to-wake basis.

Project requirements

Projects must:

·       deliver a meaningful deployment trial in real world conditions for at least six weeks before December 2029

·       demonstrate how the project can support a significant reduction in well-to-wake greenhouse gas emissions from the maritime sector, including where relevant, addressing air pollution risks or other environmental impacts from decarbonisation solutions

·       include at least one representative end user such as a vessel operator, port or harbour authority, with clear commitment to the project

·       demonstrate significant market potential through a clear strategy for commercialising the technology and products, demonstrating the potential for significant value to the UK

·       bring together a team with the necessary expertise and experience to successfully deliver the project objectives

Throughout, and at the end of the project, teams must:

·       produce a clear, detailed and costed plan to fully scale and enter the solution into UK and global markets over the three years following project completion, including the technical approach, objectives and business case

·       detail the resources needed to fully scale the solution, including funding requirements, timescales for delivery, planning permissions, implications for current and future regulation, new partners and information for a clear business case

·       quantify the potential reduction of well-to-wake greenhouse gas emissions, the potential impacts on other emissions and positive economic impacts in the future

·       develop evidence on expected commercial applications and exploitation, and potential market segments

·       explain understanding of any barriers to market adoption

·       detail the barriers to adoption that the future demonstration will overcome and the innovation that will be delivered

·       share findings with the Department for Transport (DfT), Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA), Innovate UK and any third party contractors appointed by them

·       produce a clear plan for disseminating project results and knowledge sharing to government, industry and academia

·       provide the evidence required to support the DfT’s evaluation of the scheme

For these deliverables, Innovate UK will issue further guidance to successful projects on requirements for engaging with and providing evidence to support the DfT’s evaluation of the scheme. Failure to engage with the evaluation when requested could result in the project being suspended or funding withdrawn.

Successful projects will be required to engage with the DfT, Innovate UK and any third party contractors appointed by them in relation to evaluation of CMDC projects.

Data shared with these parties is expected to include written application responses, project initiation data, monitoring data, end of project reports and involvement in primary data collection activities such as surveys and focus groups. All information will be treated as commercially sensitive.

Deployment trials: Demonstration period

The demonstration must include the vessel or infrastructure technology, or both if applicable, being used in a representative real world operational environment for a period of at least six weeks.

There is no fixed definition of how demonstrations must be undertaken within this minimum six week period. The demonstration will depend on the project, technology and what is required to prove performance. Innovate UK strongly encourages projects to utilise this minimum six week period fully and to gather as much performance data as possible.

Applications must clearly state how the demonstration will be undertaken, including the expected duration of operational use and why this is appropriate. During the demonstration, teams must validate the technology or vessel’s operation for the intended use case or target market and capture data on performance, including impacts on greenhouse gas emissions and other emissions.

Projects that include a vessel intended to operate at sea must include appropriate demonstrations for a minimum of six weeks at sea. Initial tests may be undertaken in categorised waters before progressing to sea, subject to compliance with relevant regulations, but this will not count towards the six week minimum demonstration period.

Vessel demonstrations must plan to operate in a variety of sea states. Vessels must comply with and be certificated in accordance with relevant regulations before proceeding to sea.

Applicants must be aware that projects must end by December 2029, when sea states are typically greater around the UK.

Projects that include vessels operating solely on categorised waters, such as inland waterways, and that will never operate at sea, may complete their full demonstration within categorised waters.

Types of vessel

Technologies for all sizes and categories of maritime vessel subject to the Merchant Shipping Act 1995 are in scope, including pleasure, commercial fishing and aquaculture vessels. Solutions may target one vessel size or multiple sizes.

For projects involving a new hull, the vessel must be a United Kingdom Ship.

For projects involving testing technology on an existing vessel, the vessel is expected to be a United Kingdom Ship. If not, justification must be provided within the application.

United Kingdom Ship is defined in section 85(2) of the Merchant Shipping Act 1995.

Regulation

Vessels must comply with relevant regulations when undertaking voyages and, where appropriate, be certificated subject to vessel type. Vessels cannot proceed to sea without relevant seagoing certification.

For projects involving a new hull, the vessel must be built to Classification Society or Certifying Authority rules and must remain under that Classification Society or Certifying Authority for the full trial period.

For projects involving testing technology on an existing vessel, if the vessel is a United Kingdom Ship, it must be under Classification Society or Certifying Authority rules. If the vessel is not a United Kingdom Ship, it must follow the rules of its flag State and is expected to be under Classification Society or Certifying Authority rules.

Projects involving a vessel must engage with the Maritime and Coastguard Agency during delivery. The MCA may contact successful applicants shortly after notification to discuss project details. Failure to engage when requested could result in the project being suspended or funding withdrawn.

Types of infrastructure

Any physical structures or systems necessary to enable clean maritime operations onshore or offshore are in scope. This includes infrastructure for freight, passenger, pleasure and commercial vessels located at, for example, ports, harbours or wind farms.

Value for the UK

Innovate UK strongly encourages projects from around the UK to support jobs and economic growth, including those led by ports, vessel operators, vessel manufacturers and their supply chains. Applications from areas with existing clean maritime expertise or co-located in clusters of renewable energy production and usage, including hydrogen, are welcomed.

Applicants must clearly demonstrate how intellectual property generated by the project will be anchored in the UK and how it will be exploited for the benefit of the UK supply chain and wider economy in the future.

Innovate UK welcomes projects from UK subsectors that are close to, or have a clear technology pathway towards, commercialisation in the energy and growth space, where clear barriers remain. This includes vessels and operations that support the offshore wind sector.

Previous applications and projects

Continuation of feasibility studies and pre-deployment trial projects previously funded through CMDC rounds is encouraged. However, prior success in earlier rounds is not a requirement for eligibility in Round 7.

Once projects are completed, teams are expected to be at the point of being investment and construction ready to fully scale solutions and take them to market.

Key themes and topics

Projects can focus on one or more of the following:

Priority themes:

·       fishing vessels and inland waterways vessels

·       projects that combine the below Vessel or Infrastructure technology themes with Smart Shipping technology themes

·       zero and near zero GHG emission fuel systems, such as ammonia or hydrogen

·       retrofitting clean maritime technology to existing vessels

The priority themes are of particular interest in this competition, but Innovate UK also welcomes applications that address any of the following themes.

Vessel technology themes:

·       vessel propulsion and auxiliary engines, for example: batteries, fuel cells and internal combustion engines using low, zero or near zero greenhouse gas emission fuels such as hydrogen, methanol, ammonia or multi-fuel combinations

·       wind propulsion, including soft-sail, fixed-sail, rotor, kite and turbine technologies, targeting a range of ship types from small vessels to large cargo carriers, both as primary and auxiliary propulsion

·       low, zero or near zero greenhouse gas emission energy storage and management

·       physical connections to shoreside power or alternative fuel bunkering, including fuelling lines, battery storage and on or near site renewable energy generation

·       enabling technologies such as motors, drives, sensors and power electronics

·       technologies for addressing air pollution and other contaminant risks from vessels using low, zero or near zero greenhouse gas emission alternative fuels, covering both novel air pollution risks such as ammonia (NH3) slip and adverse impacts on conventional air pollutant emissions such as particulate matter (PM) and nitrogen oxides (NOx)

·       technologies for addressing nitrous oxide (N2O) and methane (CH4) emissions from vessels using low, zero or near zero greenhouse gas emission alternative fuels

·       type approval of novel on-vessel equipment

·       onboard carbon capture and storage (OCCS)

·       energy efficiency technologies, including those that enhance vessel range or lower alternative fuel usage to enable fuel viability

Examples of energy efficiency technologies include ship hull efficiency, onboard waste heat recovery, propeller and rudder flow conditioning devices, air lubrication systems and energy efficient auxiliary systems.

Projects developing battery electric solutions for vessels less than 24 metres need to show clearly how the projects are novel and how they address limitations with existing electric vessel solutions.

Applications for battery electric solutions that are not novel or innovative will not be sent for assessment.

Battery electric applicants are encouraged to contact support@iuk.ukri.org at least 10 working days before the competition closes to confirm whether applications are in scope.

Infrastructure technologies including offshore themes:

·       shoreside storage and bunkering of low, zero or near zero greenhouse gas emission fuel

·       charging infrastructure and management for electric vessels

·       novel shore power solutions, such as enabling docked vessels to turn off their conventional power supply for ancillary systems

·       physical connections to shoreside power or alternative fuel bunkering, including fuelling lines, battery storage and onsite renewables

·       shoreside renewable energy generation at the port to supply vessels

·       low, zero or near zero greenhouse gas emission fuel production at ports to supply vessels, such as hydrogen, methanol or ammonia

·       zero greenhouse gas emission infrastructure, including stationary assets for freight handling and port operations within a port or harbour site

·       amendments to offshore infrastructure such as wind farms, required to support the use of zero, near zero or low greenhouse gas emission vessels

·       reception and storage of carbon from onboard carbon capture and storage

Projects focused on shore power technology need to show clearly how the projects are novel and how they address limitations with existing shore power solutions.

Applications for shore power solutions that are not novel or innovative will not be sent for assessment.

In addition, shore power projects must consider:

·       the energy source, its cost, sustainability, resilience, capacity, connection requirements and timeline

·       users, pricing and likely utilisation during any demonstration period

·       how to maintain operation and grow utilisation beyond any demonstration period

Shore power applicants are encouraged to contact support@iuk.ukri.org at least 10 working days before the competition closes to confirm whether applications are in scope.

Smart shipping, digital and autonomous maritime technologies themes:

Smart shipping, digital and autonomy projects must demonstrate how they contribute to reducing greenhouse gas emissions and may focus on one or more of the following maritime themes:

·       maintenance and inspection within the maritime sector

·       improvements in port operations

·       vessel design optimisation

·       smart shipping safety and skills

·       vessel operations optimisation

·       vessel route planning and scheduling for efficiency

·       interaction with other transport modes, with maritime being the clear focus

·       assurance systems, including establishing processes, measurements, systems and risk-based approaches to assure the safety and operational competence of smart shipping systems

In addition, one or more of the following smart shipping areas must be a core part of the proposed work:

·       data, including using data captured in a novel way or as part of an innovative approach, solution or product

·       Artificial Intelligence (AI), including the use of AI either as new AI development or as a novel application of existing AI

·       automated systems, including the development of automated solutions, both hardware and software

·       connectivity, including innovative use of telecommunications systems such as future networks, hybrid network systems and satellite networks

·       Position Navigation and Timing (PNT), including innovative use of telecommunications systems such as future networks, hybrid network systems and satellite networks, and innovative PNT devices and solutions, for example quantum technology

·       Quantum Computing (QC), including using QC to improve existing solutions or products, or to develop a new QC approach or solution

·       sensing or monitoring solutions, including the use of innovative devices and systems to provide sensing capability or the ability to monitor a system or vessel, including quantum technologies

·       digital twins, including creating digital models of real world systems or objects enabling bi-directional feedback

General themes

·       Novel clean maritime concepts that do not readily fit into the above themes.

Project duration

Projects must:

• last up to 2 years and 9 months
• start by 1 April 2027
• end by 31 December 2029

Award value

Projects must have total eligible costs between £3 million and £15 million

Funding rates

For industrial research projects, purposeful research that builds new knowledge and skills to improve or develop products, processes, or services—often through prototypes or system components that validate ideas in realistic settings, you can get funding for your eligible project costs of:

• up to 70% if you are a micro or small organisation
• up to 60% if you are a medium sized organisation
• up to 50% if you are a large organisation

For experimental development projects, which use existing knowledge to shape and refine new or improved products, processes, or services—through prototyping, testing, and validation, not routine upgrades and are nearer to market, you can get funding for your eligible project costs of:

• up to 45% if you are a micro or small organisation
• up to 35% if you are a medium sized organisation
• up to 25% if you are a large organisation

Research organisations can share up to 30% of the total eligible project costs

Eligibility criteria

·      Projects must be collaborative and led by a UK registered business of any size

·      Projects must include at least one grant claiming SME

·      Collaborators can be a UK registered business of any size; an academic institution; a charity; a not for profit; a public sector organisation; or a research and technology organisation (RTO)

·      Subcontractors must be preferably UK-based with fully justified and appropriate costs

• All funded project work must be carried out within the UK
• intend to exploit the results from or in the UK

·      Subsidy control and state aid rules apply