Durham leads new £21.3m research hub to decarbonise UK maritime sector

The UK National Clean Maritime Research Hub (UK-MaRes Hub) aims to accelerate the decarbonisation and elimination of air pollution from maritime activity in ports and at sea.

As well as environmental impacts, the Hub will also focus on the potential economic and social benefits of transitioning to a clean maritime future. 

The Hub was announced by the UK’s Maritime Minister, Baroness Vere of Norbiton, during London International Shipping Week.

Innovative research

The Hub 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 and vessel efficiency.

Key elements include:

• The Clean Maritime Research Partnership which will work with partners across the maritime sector to co-create future research activity;

• A Clean Maritime Network+, with activity across the UK to share knowledge and best practice;

• A Clean Maritime Policy Unit to provide advice, evidence, and briefings to inform policy.

University, industrial, civic and international partners

The Hub brings together over 80 university, industrial, civic and international organisations as project partners, including shipping companies, ports, equipment and service providers, fuel producers and civic bodies.

Any organisation which can contribute to the research goals of the Hub is invited to express an interest in joining by emailing: [email protected].

The Hub will also provide opportunities for early career researchers (ECRs) via a Responsive Research Fund, while equality diversity and inclusion and the development of under-represented groups and ECRs will be embedded throughout the Hub’s activity.

Find out more

• The UK-MaRes Hub is a consortium of 13 universities led by Durham and including researchers from Aston, Birmingham, Brighton, City, Cranfield, Liverpool, Newcastle, Nottingham, Sheffield, Solent, St Andrews and Ulster universities. 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.
• Funding includes £7.4m from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) and Department for Transport, with an additional £13.9m financial and in-kind match funding from consortium universities and project partners. The funding is part of a wider UK Government package of clean maritime measures
• The Hub builds on Durham’s strengths in net-zero research across areas such as hydrogen fuelled transport and decarbonisation of heating and cooling, as well as the Clean Maritime Research Partnership. Discover more about the Net-Zero Research Network.
• Professor Tony Roskilly, Chair of Energy Systems in our Department of Engineering, will lead the UK-MaRes Hub. Tony is also a director of Durham Energy Institute.
• Our Department of Engineering offers a wide range of Engineering pathways, is recognised as ones of the leading centres of research in Engineering in the world and is ranked 5th in The Complete University Guide 2023. Students benefit from excellent employment opportunities as well as interdisciplinary research and national and international cooperation. Feeling inspired? Visit our Engineering webpages to learn more about our postgraduate and undergraduate programmes.
• Discover how our research is changing lives around the world - Global Impact
• Durham University is a top 100 world university. In the QS World University Rankings 2024, we were ranked 78th globally.

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