National Clean Maritime Demonstration Hub

The project will conduct a high-quality feasibility study that, informing a business case for infrastructure-investment in Zero-Emission(ZE) Fuels/charging-infrastructure at the Port of Grimsby, at the same time as investment in operational programmes of work that will establish Grimsby as a national Clean Maritime Demonstration Hub (CMDH).

Commercial ethos

Harnessing the 'industry-pull' of the offshore wind industry as a 'springboard' for the adoption of clean maritime technologies (DfT,Innovation Roadmap for Offshore Wind,2021), the project-team will undertake detailed feasibility to identify the infrastructure requirements to support clean maritime operations from the port.

This will include ZE-Fuel production, compression, storage, fuelling, metering and distribution infrastructure, as well as onshore and offshore electrical-charging capability.

The project will include a detailed demand-analysis for ZE-Fuels/charging infrastructure, to which design concepts will then be tailored, with escalation plans for the gradual scaling of production in line with rising demand for alternative maritime fuels.

ZE-fuel / power offtakers in the offshore renewables industry are anticipated early-adopters. Meanwhile, other maritime operators across the broader Humber and other UK East-Coast catchments will be canvassed and included in the demand-analysis to maximise scalability.

Socio-economic 'value added' Impact

As well as providing a business case for ZE-fuel and maritime electrical-charging systems on commercial basis, the feasibility study will also identify the operating model for a 'wrap-around' demonstration, training and acceleration eco-system, providing a unique facility for open-access demonstration and certification of clean maritime technology. This will include:

* Open access ZE-fuelling, infrastructure and analysis facilities for ZE-fuel system demonstration, validation and certification
* The development and delivery of dedicated open-access training in the use of ZE-fuelling systems by port-technicians and vessel-crews;
* A joint-industry working-group, including regulators and class societies to support the rapid acceleration, demonstration and certification of very-high TRL clean-maritime innovation
* Access to specialist investment community with an investment review group made up of angel, VC, grant and loan investment bodies

The feasibility will lay the blueprint for this unique national demonstration asset, harnessing the potential of the offshore wind industry to act as a 'springboard' for clean-maritime innovation in the UK. The result will be 'investment-ready' port-fuelling infrastructure and world-leading demonstration and certification support capability.

This scale of demonstration will have the critical mass of industrial partners, and the long-term strategic approach required to bring together stakeholders from across the public and private-sector to work in partnership to break the 'chicken and egg' impasse which stymies the rapid expedition of clean-maritime transition.