DfT and EPSRC Providing Funding to Establish a Flagship UK National Clean Maritime Research Hub
The UK National Clean Maritime Research Hub will bring together an interdisciplinary consortium of leading UK research organisations to address low technology readiness level research challenges in clean maritime.
The Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) has launched an opportunity with funding from the Department for Transport (DfT) to establish a flagship UK national clean maritime research hub to develop critical mass and address fundamental research challenges in clean maritime. The opportunity is being delivered through the UK Shipping Office for Reducing Emissions (UK SHORE), which aims to transform the UK into a global leader in the design and manufacturing of clean maritime technologies.
The successful applicant will establish a hub made up of an interdisciplinary consortium of leading UK research organisations, such as universities, to address low TRL research challenges in clean maritime. This will build the UK’s capacity and research critical mass in maritime decarbonisation.
The 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.
The hub should work in close partnership with businesses, government departments, the third sector and civic organisations throughout the UK to tackle research challenges, drive the transfer of knowledge and raise match-funding. The hub should be co-delivered with stakeholders and users to address critical issues where further research and innovation is required.
The hub’s core focus should be the delivery of a series of research work-packages led by academics. The research should focus on the fundamental science research needs of the maritime sector aimed at enabling the sector to develop and commercialise clean maritime solutions in the long term.
Applicants must be based at a research organisation eligible for UKRI funding. Research grants are open to: UK higher education institutions; research council institutes; UKRI-approved independent research organisations; eligible public sector research establishments; eligible research and technology organisations; and NHS bodies with research capacity. Full details of institutional eligibility are available here.
Applicants can apply if they are a resident in the UK and meet at least one of the following conditions:
- Be employed at the submitting research organisation at a level equivalent to lecturer or above.
- Hold a fixed-term contract that extends beyond the duration of the proposed project, and the host research organisation is prepared to provide all the support normal for a permanent employee.
- Hold an EPSRC, Royal Society or Royal Academy of Engineering fellowship aimed at later career stages.
- Hold fellowships under other schemes (applicants should contact EPSRC to check eligibility, which is considered on a case-by-case basis).
Research technical professionals and professional research and investment strategy managers are welcome to apply as co-investigators.
EPSRC and DfT will fund up to £7.4 million, at 80% of the full Economic Cost (fEC) of the hub, with a fixed start date of 1 September 2023 and duration of 43 months.
Applicants are invited to attend a webinar on 27 February 2023 from 12:30 to 13:30 for further details about the opportunity.
A mandatory expression of interest (EOI) form must be completed by the 20 March 2023 (16:00 GMT) deadline.
Applications should be submitted by the 2 May 2023 (16:00 BST) deadline.
(This report was the subject of a ResearchConnect Newsflash.)