Low carbon shipping research underway

The project has received £1.7m from the Research Councils UK (RCUK) Energy Programme, part of the £530m the programme is investing in research in low carbon technologies. Some 90% of goods arrive in the UK by ship and current estimates show shipping’s share of global emissions could increase to 20-30% by 2050.

The international maritime design, engineering and risk management consultancy, BMT Group, has announced its involvement as an industrial partner and part of a multi-disciplinary consortium made up of researchers from five universities and international industrial partners. The project will involve BMT in two main work packages; technologies for low carbon shipping (including innovation in retrofit solutions), and energy efficient ship operations (including human factors).

The following universities are involved in the project: University College London, Newcastle University, University of Hull, University of Strathclyde, and University of Plymouth.

Industry and government partners include; BMT, Shell, Rolls Royce, Lloyds Register, UK MoD, Lloyd’s Register Fairplay, James Fisher, David MacBrayne Ltd, UK Major Ports Group, and Clarksons.

The Research Councils UK Energy Programme aims to position the UK to meet its energy and environmental targets and policy goals through world-class research and training. The Energy Programme is investing more than £530m in research and skills to pioneer a low carbon future. This builds on an investment of £360m over the past 5 years.

Led by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), the Energy Programme brings together the work of EPSRC and that of the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC), the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC), the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC), and the Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC).

Further information on the project can be found at: www.lowcarbonshipping.co.uk