Vessel Efficiency; £8M competition for funding
It is expected that the Technology Strategy Board will shortly announce a funding competition into vessel efficiency. The competition will be aimed at accelerating marine innovation and technologies.
Details of the competition are still to be confirmed, but it is expected that it will cover most aspects of efficiency in ships, boats, submarines, their equipment and systems, and support vessels for offshore renewable energy.
The competition will build on the industry roadmap which the Transport KTN supported the development of at the end of 2011.
The road map identified several top priority themes, some of which are already being addressed through other investment routes and national activities, enabling this competition to focus on themes covering carbon reduction, green propulsion for ships and boats, and Marine ICT.
These are themes that can add value to future marine industries and would benefit from collaboration in research and development at national level. This competition is expected to have a broad scope to encourage projects that can address them.
Innovation and technology themes expected in the Marine Vessel Efficiency Competition include
* Light weight materials and structures
* Smart materials and coatings
* Positioning and communications
* Autonomous sensing and advanced navigation
* Smart green propulsion, alternative low carbon fuels and emission reduction systems
* Vessel design including hydrodynamics, retro-fitting and modifications to existing assets
* Engineering and manufacturing processes
This competition is a welcome opportunity for marine companies throughout the UK, from leisure marine through to large shipping. The whole industry (from ship and boatbuilders to equipment and systems suppliers, including small businesses) should consider how it could help their R&D plans for next year. The dialogue with potential project partners should start as soon as possible, you are strongly encouraged to attend the awareness events that the KTN is running in November. Preparation ahead of the expected Call open period (mid January to end February) will ensure that industry maximises this opportunity.
The Transport KTN will be working closely with the marine and maritime industry to disseminate information about this, and assist the formation of partnerships and collaborations.
For more information please follow the link:
https://connect.innovateuk.org/web/vessel-efficiency
Three free events will be held at the end of Nov/beginning Dec - one each in Merseyside (22nd Nov), London (27th Nov) and Glasgow (5th Dec) - which will be open to industry participants interested in finding out more about the scope of the competition, and the process of finding and working with partners and applying for funds, as well as networking with potential partners.
Once the competition is open (ie sometime in January 2013), the Technology Strategy Board will hold an information day. The KTN events will ensure you are well-placed to act as soon as the competition opens.
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