The Strathclyde-based MaRI-UK centre has been established by a consortium of British companies, academia and government.
It will provide a collaborative innovation vehicle for jointly tackling innovation and technology challenges for the UK’s £40 billion maritime sector.
Professor Alex Duffy, head of Strathclyde’s Department of Design, Manufacturing and Engineering Management, is leading the consortium with Patrick Carnie, strategy director Energy & Marine Technology with engineering firm Babcock.
The UK Government’s Department for Transport (DfT) agreed in March 2019 to fund the establishment of MarRI-UK, alongside investment from Babcock and the BMTGroup.
MarRI-UK is now launching a £1 million competition for innovative ways to reduce maritime emissions on behalf of DfT.
Professor Duffy said: “If you want to remain at the forefront of advancements, benefit from the collaborative network synergy, gain streamlined access to research and innovation expertise across the UK and help set the agenda and influence government policy, then MarRI-UK is for you.
“We are looking for sector-spanning pioneers to join MarRI-UK and spark change that will lead the way for the maritime sector of the future.”
MaRI-UK’s first area of collaborative focus will be Clean Maritime.
The consortium will work on research and innovation within mid technology readiness levels (levels 3 – 7), to address the opportunities between discovery and research and commercialisation of maritime technologies and systems.
It will develop a structured, coherent, and comprehensive approach leading to national and regional development and economic growth.
A maritime sector strengthened by MarRI-UK will help the co-ordination of research across the maritime sector by giving an understanding of commercial opportunities aligned to a shared roadmap.
This will underpin government initiatives and investment and support the wider prosperity agenda linked to innovation.
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