As COP26 Glasgow approaches the UK recently announced the start of a significant investment in decarbonisation of the world’s shipping fleet. The clean maritime demonstration competition will run until the end of March 2022. Over fifty projects will investigate a variety of technical solutions and carry out demonstrations trials across a wide variety of technical areas. All of which could finds methods of removing CO2 and finding net zero solutions for shipping.
Here at Southampton we have already started work on projects.
In a large scale demonstrator project led by Ocean Infinity Innovations.(OI) Southampton researchers will support the development and testing of a zero-emissions Ammonia Marine Propulsion System – a potential solution to a zero carbon coastal freight network. The target application will be OI Armada Class 78 m vessel designed for autonomous survey but here considered as a coastal transport vessel.
Working with start-up ACUA Ocean Limited, we will test the feasibility of ACUA Ocean Limited’s patent-pending long-endurance liquid hydrogen-powered un-crewed surface vessel (H-USV). Autonomous USVs offer a cost-effective means of protecting and managing oceans and waterways.
A project between the University, Carnival Plc, Ceres Power Limited, Shell, and Lloyd’s Register will investigate the use of innovative solid oxide fuel cell technology and batteries to replace the use of diesel generators on cruise ships when they are in ports. Currently, cruise ships use diesel to generate electricity for onboard systems such as heating, ventilation and waste processing when they are sitting in ports – but this emits pollutants and noise.
As just part of of our work seeking innovative solutions to the zero carbon shipping challenge we are looking to recruit an expert team of post-doctoral researchers
and recent engineering graduates https://jobs.soton.ac.uk/Vacancy.aspx?ref=1522721DA
If you are interested in making your contribution to this essential challenge please apply.