A new maritime research hub has been launched to help decarbonise the shipping industry and support green economic growth.

The new hub was launched by Baroness Vere on Clean Maritime Day at the recently held London International Shipping Week.

The UK-MaRes Hub, led by Durham University, will carry out innovative research in:

• sustainable marine fuels and their safe use
• low-carbon power and propulsion systems for shipping
• decarbonised port operations and infrastructure
• improved maritime operations
• vessel efficiency

Funding for the hub includes £7.4 million from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) and Department for Transport. Matched funding from project partners is being secured increasing to more than £10 million by the end of the hub.

The UK-MaRes Hub is a consortium of 13 universities led by Durham and including researchers from:

• Aston University
• University of Birmingham
• University of Brighton
• City, University of London
• Cranfield University
• University of Liverpool
• Newcastle University
• University of Nottingham
• The University of Sheffield
• Solent University
• University of St Andrews
• Ulster University

It also brings together over 70 industrial, civic and international organisations as project partners, including shipping companies, ports, equipment and service providers, fuel producers and civic bodies.

The Clean Maritime Research hub will address research challenges in:

• low and zero-emission fuels, energy sources and vessel technologies for the maritime sector
• land side infrastructure required to enable the uptake of low and zero-emission fuels, energy sources and vessel technologies by the maritime sector
• the role of energy efficiency solutions in facilitating the uptake of low and zero-emission fuels, energy sources and vessel technologies by the maritime sector