Clean Maritime Technologies

Accelerating clean maritime innovation and growth
Clean maritime technologies - water pump with boats in the background
With around 80% of global trade carried by sea and 30-50% of CO2 absorbed by the ocean, the urgency to conduct maritime activity in a clean and sustainable manner is clear.
Clean Maritime refers to the activities undertaken to achieve this, such as decarbonising vessel propulsion systems or investigating methods of antifouling with lower environmental impact.
At Plymouth, a commitment to Clean Maritime permeates across a wide portfolio of research, from maritime cyber security, marine autonomy and advanced engineering to biological and environmental sciences, the arts and Big Data. Underpinned by strong government and sector collaboration, this enables us to take a transdisciplinary approach to address the challenges faced by the diverse expertise required, and drive forward critical technological advances.

Steering clean maritime innovation

The Electric Seaway: providing a charging infrastructure network for the UK's south coast

The south coast of the UK has responded to the shift in maritime expectations over the past few years, with many new businesses and technology developments for clean and green vessels.
The Electric Seaway (TES) project, with its potential to serve as a model for future networks, aims to establish a network of charging infrastructure along the south coast. This unique network will feature 10 locations equipped with charging installations, including two sites with integrated battery energy storage solutions to address grid capacity challenges.
The current and optimum future sites that will be explored through The Electric Seaway project

University integral to £15.6m investment in clean maritime innovation

The University of Plymouth has played a critical role in enabling a major maritime regeneration and innovation project in North Devon to secure Government funding. The Appledore Clean Maritime Innovation Centre has been awarded £15.6m of funding from the Levelling Up Fund issued by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities. The facility will become a centre of excellence for clean-propulsion shipbuilding and Floating Offshore Wind (FLOW) innovation, reinforcing the University’s position at the forefront of the UK’s decarbonisation and net-zero agenda.
Appledore Clean Maritime Innovation Centre

First UK charging network for electric maritime vessels launched in Plymouth

The UK’s first e-marine hub of shore-side charging facilities for electric maritime vessels has been unveiled in Plymouth and a series of high-power DC electric charging stations has been switched on in prominent locations along the perimeter of the Plymouth Sound National Marine Park.
Research by the University carried out during the planning stage of the project, has shown the network has the potential to reduce port emissions by 96.60% in the next 30 years. As a result, it could significantly cut the sector’s impact on the climate, and reduce the damage caused by harmful gases on both human and environmental health.
electric charging facilities

Explore our transformational projects

People

Centre for Decarbonisation and Offshore Renewable Energy

Centre for Decarbonisation and Offshore Renewable Energy

In response to climate change imperatives, we are bringing together a critical mass of leading research and expertise from across the University of Plymouth. Through co-creation and collaboration with partners from business, government and key communities from across the globe, the Centre aims to be a beacon for the University’s whole-system transdisciplinary approach to solutions-oriented research, accelerating sustainable developments in decarbonisation and renewable energy.

Strategic Research Institutes and Research Groups