Scottish innovators are helping make emission free sailing a reality will be the message of the UK’s Maritime Minister on a visit to Clydeport in Glasgow this week. 

Twenty-five Scottish firms including successful companies are set to be awarded a share of £4.8m in funding to support the development of clean maritime fuels and technologies such as ammonia, hydrogen, methanol, solar and electric, awarded from the sixth round of the Clean Maritime Demonstration Competition (CMDC).

Investment in green fuels not only supports the decarbonisation of shipping, helping cement the UK as a clean energy superpower, it also revitalises coastal communities by growing local economies and boosting jobs and skills.   

Scotland has received £32.6m funding from the CMDC programme in total which is focused on delivering the technology necessary to decarbonise maritime, with a further £4.8m from the sixth round of CMDC announced today. 

Successful projects to date include the installation of electric chargepoint networks across ports, including at Aberdeen, the demonstration of an electric crew transfer vessel at Aberdeen Offshore Wind Farm, and the demonstration of a green hydrogen shore power system at the port of Leith. 

Maritime Minister Mike Kane said: “It’s so exciting to see investment in green fuels and technologies spurring on skills, innovation and manufacturing in Scotland, delivering on our Plan for Change missions to kickstart economic growth and become a clean energy superpower.   

We’ve charted a course to net zero shipping by 2050 and this £30m will be crucial in supporting the green fuels and technologies of the future, so we can clean up sea travel and trade whilst growing our coastal economies in the process.” 

During his visit to Clydeport, the Minister met with workers from the National Manufacturing Institute Scotland, which is looking to help Smart Green Shipping scale up the manufacturing of the FastRig windsail going forward. 

Built nearby in Glasgow, the FastRig is a high-tech wind sail which can be installed onto vessels, saving up to 40% in fuel and reducing emissions by as much as 6%. The project received £3.3m from the third round of the CMDC and has now been successfully deployed at sea. 

Secretary of State for Scotland Ian Murray said: “This £4.8m investment in Scottish clean maritime innovation demonstrates exactly what we can achieve when we combine Scotland’s proud industrial heritage with cutting-edge green technology. 

Scottish businesses are leading the charge in decarbonising our seas whilst creating jobs and revitalising our coastal communities. This funding builds on our mission to make Britain a clean energy superpower, and I’m proud to see Scotland at the forefront of this vital transition to net zero shipping.”

Chris Courtney, CEO, National Manufacturing Institute Scotland said: “Clean maritime is a vital part of a wider mission to decarbonise transport. Advanced manufacturing is critical to enable companies to scale up novel solutions that deliver emissions reductions and allow the creation of new jobs in these industries of the future.

We’ve spent the past two years working on the CMDC-funded MariLight projects, led by Glasgow-based Malin Marine Consultants, part of the Malin Group, supported by industry partners, where we demonstrated how advanced manufacturing can cut lead times, lower carbon, and enable localised production in shipbuilding. 

It’s great to see continued momentum through the programme, and we look forward to supporting Smart Green Shipping’s journey as it scales.”

Diane Gilpin, Smart Green Shipping (SGS), CEO said:“CMDC3 support enabled SGS, a Scottish based business, to demonstrate the safety and robustness of FastRig, our Cyldebuilt wing sails, and to build out our digital decision-making platform, FastReach, which underpins our unique wind-as-a-service proposition.

Over the last 3 years SGS has invested £7.6m in R&D, 60% of that in Scotland. We’ve drawn upon engineering design skills in adjacent sectors like renewables and oil and gas, and digital expertise created in Scotland’s vibrant tech community. 

We are also working alongside the National Manufacturing Institute of Scotland to design circular manufacturing solutions to reduce embedded emissions and minimise use of precious materials while creating good green jobs as part of a sustainable just transition.” 

The Minister will meet with Peel Ports and local workers at Clydeport’s King George V Docks. Delivering £3m of investment to support the growing demand for handling huge wind turbine components for the renewable energy sector, Clydeport is keeping Glasgow’s shipbuilding heritage and manufacturing expertise alive, equipping it to meet the modern-day needs of the sector.  

Jim McSporran, Port Director at Peel Ports Clydeport, said: “We’re proud to welcome the Maritime Minister to Peel Ports Clydeport today and showcase how our facilities continue to create opportunities for investment, jobs and skills that will benefit the people and businesses of Scotland. 

Our recent £3 million investment in road infrastructure at King George V Dock to accommodate growing demand for handling wind turbine components, and our ongoing transformative work at Hunterston PARC in Ayrshire to support the renewables sector, demonstrate our commitment to decarbonising supply chains and enabling the transition to a greener economy.”