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Image Credit: Freeport East
In a significant move to bolster its green hydrogen maritime vision, the Freeport East zone, located on the coastal stretch between Felixstowe and Harwich in England, has recently secured nearly £3 million in funding. This financial support comes from the UK and Australian governments, which aim to kickstart pilot projects focused on deploying green hydrogen technologies to reduce carbon emissions in maritime operations.
Freeport East, a region benefiting from tax incentives to stimulate private investment, announced it received a £1.44 million grant from Innovate UK and a similarly undisclosed sum from Australia's Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment, and Water. These funds are earmarked for the ambitious Hydrogen Zero Emission Maritime (HyZEM) project, which seeks to integrate low-carbon green hydrogen technology into high-powered maritime workboats.
The initiative isn't just about pioneering technology; it also intends to explore the practicalities of green hydrogen use in the maritime industry, including innovations in bunkering, port storage solutions, and refuelling infrastructures. Local councils in Essex and Suffolk back this effort, which involves a consortium of leading entities from both the UK and Australia, including the zero-emissions firm Steamology, the National Composites Centre (NCC), powertrain experts Duodrive Limited, maritime consultancy Chartwell Marine Limited, and the Offshore Renewable Energy (ORE) Catapult.
Moreover, the project benefits from an international dimension with a sister initiative in Australia led by hydrogen specialist Rux Energy Australia. This collaboration aims to fast-track the adoption and development of zero-emission, climate-friendly technologies within the global maritime sector.
Furthering this goal, Freeport East, alongside the ORE Catapult, plans to foster regional innovation and strengthen ties between small—and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), global industry leaders, and academic circles in the field of renewable energy. Simultaneously, the NCC and Rux Energy's Australian team are set to spearhead the creation of next-generation hydrogen storage systems, combining Rux's advanced nanoporous materials with cutting-edge carbon composite tank technologies. This synergy could significantly enhance the efficiency, safety, and cost-effectiveness of high-powered maritime vessels such as tugboats and crew-transfer vessels.
"This news highlights the rapid innovation-driven growth occurring within the Freeport and marks the third consortium funding success Freeport East has achieved in the past year," said Steve Beel, chief executive of Freeport East.
"Freeport East is demonstrating how we can be an enabler of green technology solutions and support UK businesses to succeed overseas. These innovations will also support our broader efforts to drive transport decarbonisation at both the local and international scale," he added.
Matt Candy, chief executive of Steamology, said the company was "pleased to be working with such talented partners across the hydrogen and marine supply chain and thank Innovate UK for grant funding the opportunity".
"Steamology delivers scalable and modular solutions for industrial steam heat and power, embracing the hydrogen and circular economies, eliminating emissions, replacing fossil fuels and fossil fuel engines," he added. "Steamology is delivering the world's first zero emission hydrogen steam turbine marine propulsion, 130 years after 'Turbinia', the world's first steam turbine steam ship."
Joseph Hewitt, project engineer, development and operations, ORE Catapult, added that the company is "delighted to partner with Steamology and the extended HyZEM consortium team, contributing our independent expertise in offshore renewable energy and clean maritime technology to this important feasibility study."
"Demonstrating the potential of innovative technologies such as hydrogen-storage and hydrogen-fuelled turbines to decarbonise the world's marine fleet could pave the way for future cost savings and risk reduction benefits for the entire industry, minimising environmental impact and moving us closer to achieving our net zero ambitions," he added.
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