The Irish Maritime Development Office (IMDO) of the Marine Institute and Innovate UK hosted a networking reception in Dublin on Monday (15 April) to advance their joint plans to create green shipping corridors between Ireland and the UK.

The event attracted maritime industry stakeholders who are interested in responding to this research call by constructing consortia which can drive progress in this important area of research.

The call is co-funded by the Marine Institute and the UK Department of Transport and will be delivered by the IMDO and Innovate UK.

Minister for Transport, Eamonn Ryan said: “My department welcomes the launch of the joint funding call from Marine Institute, the Irish Maritime Development Office and Innovate UK. This will produce detailed and valuable feasibility studies on green shipping corridors focused on routes across the Irish Sea, between Ireland and the UK.

“The Clydebank Declaration was launched at COP26 in 2021, with Ireland as one of the initial signatories of the initiative. Clydebank was designed to drive forward to the decarbonisation targets set by the International Maritime Organization in relations to green shipping. The launch of this funding call by Marine Institute and Innovate UK represents the first step towards meeting this ambition and demonstrates an innovative and collaborative approach to solving this issue, which I commend.”

Elin Burns, deputy British ambassador to Ireland, also welcomed the research call and said: “The UK and Ireland are delighted to collaborate together to tackle one of the greatest challenges of our time, climate change. The UK has ambitious net-zero targets, and transport continues to be a sector which contributes significantly to emissions.

“Green shipping corridors are key to demonstrating the development of technology, infrastructure and regulations to promote industry adoption of zero-emission technologies. The UK and Ireland’s partnership on this fund recognises our close maritime links across both trade and travel, and demonstrates our commitment to supporting green corridors between our countries.”

The call provides an opportunity for maritime industry stakeholders to consider how consortia might be formed to address the challenges of creating green shipping corridors across the Irish Sea. It also recognises the importance of trading and tourism links between Ireland and the UK and the imperative of reducing carbon emissions in the maritime industry.

Commenting at the launch, IMDO director Liam Lacey said: “We are pleased to be working with Innovate UK, supported by our respective Departments of Transport, on this joint research call that will bring green shipping corridors between Ireland and the UK closer to reality.

“The call is funded by the Marine Institute and UK Department of Transport to a value of €1m. It envisages the creation of consortia of ports, shipping companies and researchers and industry experts to undertake feasibility studies that will result in practical solutions being advanced that put shipping corridors between Ireland and the UK on a pathway to a greener future. This is an ambitious and valuable project that we expect to generate considerable industry interest and lots of innovative ideas.”

James Lovett, innovation lead for future maritime technologies at Innovate UK added: “Innovate UK is proud to be delivering this competition and is delighted to be working with the Marine Institute and the UK Department for Transport.

“These bilateral research collaborations are vital to make green shipping corridors a reality. The required technology and system developments cannot happen in isolation, which is why I’m pleased to see pioneering cooperation between the UK and Ireland. We’re looking forward to seeing the exciting research applications from UK-Ireland maritime industry consortia.”

Join the IMDO, Marine Institute, the UK’s Department for Transport and Innovate UK to look at exciting opportunities at an upcoming briefing event as they delve into initiatives shaping international green shipping corridors.

The event will be examining the opportunities and exciting prospects for sustainable maritime transport. This event will have a special focus on collaboration between Ireland and the UK.

Join this special online briefing this Wednesday 10 April from 10am to 12pm to hear all the latest. For more information and to register, see the briefing’s webpage HERE.

Elsevier has released a call for papers in innovations for shipping in the context of new environmental policies for its international journal of ocean affairs.

The academic journal publisher is seeking research studies and reviews on topics including and not limited to data, big data, or AI for maritime shipping; use of autonomous ships; use of electric vessels; alternative sustainable maritime fuels; renewable energy for maritime navigation; and innovative operational approaches for maritime shipping.

Dr Patrick Rigot-Muller of Maynooth University’s School of Business is among the guest editors for the special issue of Marine Policy, which aims to compile papers that consider the environmental and sustainability policies related to maritime transport such as emission taxation, speed limitation, containers lost overboard, emission control areas and others. 

The journal’s submission platform is now available for receiving submissions. For more information about this and the call for papers, see Elsevier’s Marine Policy journal website HERE.

Transport Minister Eamon Ryan has welcomed this week’s announcement by the Council of the European Union of the adoption of two new laws under the EU Fit for 55 Package which puts Europe on a committed path away from fossil fuels in road-based and maritime transport.

The new laws are the Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Regulation (AFIR), which will directly support the transition of cars, vans and trucks to electric and other zero-emission fuels right across Europe’s main road networks; and the FuelEU Maritime Regulation which will increase the share of renewable and low-carbon fuels in the fuel mix of international maritime transport.

The latter’s aim is to introduce a harmonised regulatory framework in the EU to increase the share of renewable and low-carbon fuels in the fuel mix of international maritime transport and to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions from shipping, while ensuring a level playing field and avoiding distortions in the internal market.

The agreement between the European Parliament and the Council will see more ambitious greenhouse gas reduction targets than those initially put forward by the European Commission, as well as additional incentives for the uptake of renewable fuels.

Welcoming the agreement, Minister Ryan reflected on the importance of working to decarbonise the shipping sector.

“Shipping is a global industry, and an agreement like this in the EU can help to drive global ambition. This agreement represents an important milestone in the journey to decarbonise the sector. It sets out clear climate obligations for shipping companies and sends a strong signal to fuel suppliers about future demand. We will continue to work closely with the sector during the implementation phase and ensure robust enforcement of these new rules once enacted.”

The regulation will cover large ships, responsible for approximately 90% of shipping emissions in the EU. From the year 2030, it will also oblige these ships to plug into onshore power when docked in larger EU ports, helping to address air quality issues in coastal cities and towns across Europe.

Minister of State Jack Chambers said: “We believe the agreement represents an ambitious and well-balanced solution for all EU member states. Circa 90% of goods arrive to Ireland by sea, and as such, Ireland has a particularly high dependence on maritime transport.

“We don’t underestimate the challenges ahead for the sector in adapting to these changes, but this regulatory certainty is necessary to catalyse the decarbonisation of shipping. This regulation, in tandem with other transport measures, sets us on the right path for our environmental obligations to 2030 and beyond.”

Following the formal adoption by the Council, the new regulations will be published in the EU’s official journal after the summer and will enter into force the twentieth day after this publication. The AFIR will apply from six months after the date of entry into force of the regulation. The FuelEU Regulation will apply from 1 January 2025, apart from articles 8 and 9 which will apply from 31 August 2024.

An industrial design company in Connemara has announced its partnership with the University of Galway for a new project that aims for a greener shipping industry by using lightweight material to reduce fuel consumption and CO2 emissions.

Over the next two years of the FASTSHIP project, ÉireComposites will lead development and manufacturing of composite components that can reduce drag on ships, thereby cutting fuel usage.

The University of Galway, meanwhile, will take charge of analysis and testing of the prototypes, using its own BladeComp software to optimise the designs.

The two parties also aim to optimise the manufacturing process for ensuring large volume production at reduced costs.

The Sustainable Energy Authority Ireland (SEAI) and the Marine Institute are providing almost €600,000 of funding to the project, under the SEAI National Energy Research, Development and Demonstration (RD&D) Funding Programme 2022.

Kerrie Sheehan, head of R&D at SEAI said: “Maritime transport plays an essential role in Ireland as an island nation and SEAI recognise the need to invest in research that will contribute to achieving emissions reductions in this sector and our 2030 overall targets.”

Veronica Cunningham, research funding office manager at the Marine Institute added: “The Irish maritime sector, in line with the sector across Europe, is seeking ways to decarbonise operations, reduce greenhouse gases emissions and increase the use of low-carbon and renewable fuels to replace fossil fuels for shipping.

“The FASTSHIP project will develop a solution that can be retrofitted to existing vessels or designed into new ships, with a significant reduction in fuel consumption and consequently decreasing vessel carbon emissions and shipping costs.”

Transport Minister Eamon Ryan has welcomed the adoption by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) of a revised 2023 strategy on the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions from ships.

Significantly, this includes a provision for an economic element on the basis of a maritime GHG emission pricing mechanism.

The 2023 GHG Strategy was adopted at the 80th session of the Marine Environment Protection Committee in London. Ireland has been supportive of the highest level of ambition throughout the negotiation of this strategy.

The revised strategy sets a goal of net zero GHG emissions from ships by or around 2050. This is a significant increase in ambition compared to the initial 2018 strategy which targeted a 50% reduction compared to 2008 levels.

The strategy has introduced important indicative checkpoints along this 2050 pathway. The 2030 checkpoint is set at reducing GHG emissions from ships by at least 20%, while striving for 30%. For 2040, this stands at 70% while striving for 80%. Both checkpoints are in comparison to 2008 levels.

In an important move, the strategy includes a basket of candidate mid-term GHG reduction measures including an economic element on the basis of a maritime GHG emissions pricing. This is something that Minister Ryan and Ireland have been advocating for a number of years, the Department of Transport says.

Commenting after the IMO’s revised strategy announcement on Friday (7 July), Minister Ryan said: “At last year’s COP27 in Egypt the key issue was climate finance and agreement on a loss and damage fund to help the poorest countries, states and people in the world, who are being disproportionately impacted by the devastation of climate change.

“At COP, global leaders like Mary Robinson were advocating for a pricing mechanism or levy on carbon heavy industries, like the maritime and aviation sectors. It is really encouraging to see that this globally agreed strategy, which will accelerate the sector’s transition away from polluting fossil fuels, now also, significantly and bravely, provides for a pricing mechanism. The key thing now is to go to the next steps, turning this agreed strategy into action.”

The strategy also includes provision for a new target of at least 5%, striving for 10% uptake of zero or near-zero GHG emission technologies, fuels and/or energy sources by 2030.

There was further agreement on the timeline for introducing mid-term measures, which will be crucial for the implementation of this strategy.

Much work remains in the process, with the agreement to initiate a comprehensive impact assessment of the remaining candidate measures. This timeline will see measures adopted by 2025 and enter into force by 2027, while giving appropriate consideration to assess possible impacts on states.

While Ireland and others had called for higher levels of ambition during the negotiation process, the department says it was important to secure widespread support to reach such an agreement that can now be implemented globally.

This resulting 2023 strategy marks an important milestone along the maritime fuel transition, it adds, and it is hoped that it will send a clear signal to the maritime and fuel industries on the commitment to phase out GHG emissions from shipping.

The adoption by unanimous support from member states of the IMO is also important in ensuring a high level of solidarity in delivering on the ambition of net zero by 2050, it says.

#ferries - The European Investment Bank is providing EUR 155 million to finance two new passenger and vehicle ships for the Irish Continental Group subsidiary Irish Ferries.

The announcement was made as the first of the new cruiseferries, W.B. Yeats made its maiden sailing from Dublin to Holyhead yesterday.

The two new cruiseferries according to ICG will increase passenger and cargo capacity on routes to Ireland, replace older and smaller vessels and significantly reduce emissions from the Irish Ferries fleet. The new ferries are expected to be used on both the Dublin-Holyhead and Dublin-Cherbourg routes to reflect demand for a greater choice of services from Ireland to Britain and direct to continental Europe.

The largest ever EIB support for Irish shipping was announced during a visit (yesterday) morning by Andrew McDowell, European Investment Bank Vice President and Eamonn Rothwell, CEO of ICG. The latest addition to the Irish Ferries fleet, the new W.B.Yeats, was partly financed using EUR 75 million from the EIB. The W.B. Yeats can transport 1,800 passengers, 300 cars and 165 trucks and following delivery in December as previously highlighted entered service on the core Irish Sea route between Dublin and Holyhead.

The second ship, expected to be completed in 2020 and unnamed as yet, will likely transport 1,800 passengers and crew and 1,526 cars or 300 trucks.

Eamonn Rothwell, CEO, ICG, said “Significant new investment is essential to expand the Irish Ferries fleet and better serve our customers increased demand for passenger and freight transport. The EUR 155 million financing facilities agreed with the EIB, alongside financing from leading Irish and international banks, for the two new cruise ferry ships demonstrates the EIB’s commitment to support transformational corporate investment such as this in Ireland, enabling ICG to deliver on its growth strategy and strengthening the tourism and cargo trading links in and out of the country. We were delighted to take delivery of the superb W.B Yeats in December. The ship is the next level in terms of the experience it offers our customers. After operating on the Irish Sea, the W.B. Yeats will move to service the busy Dublin Cherbourg route in the coming months.”

Andrew McDowell, European Investment Bank Vice President, said “Shipping connections are crucial for Ireland and the European Investment Bank is pleased together with ICG to support two new ships that will both transform maritime transport to and from this country and cut harmful emissions. The EUR 155 million long-term EIB loans will support EUR 309 million of new investment in best in class vessels that will serve Irish routes for years to come. The new W.B. Yeats, on its maiden voyage from Dublin today (yesterday), together with the second vessel will transform freight capacity and passenger travel from Ireland to the UK and continental Europe. The first approval of financing under the EIB’s Green Shipping initiative reflects firm commitment of ICG to cut emissions and improve fuel efficiency. Increasing maritime transport capacity reflects increased demand arising from Ireland’s export driven recovery and the potential need for flexibility in the event of disruption on UK routes. In the context of EIB’s ever-increasing support for Irish private businesses, these two loans also demonstrate the value that EIB loans can provide to Irish corporates through beneficial pricing, long tenors and flexible loan structures.”

Ireland leading the way with Green Shipping

The long-term loan to Irish Continental Group represents the first support approved by the EIB under a new Green Shipping financing initiative that supports investment in new and existing ships to reduce emissions and improve fuel efficiency.

The W.B.Yeats ship incorporates emissions scrubber technology to reduce sulphur oxide pollution and ballast water systems which meet current and known future environmental regulations and will deliver optimal fuel consumption and efficiencies.

EIB support for second new Irish Ferries ship

The EIB is providing EUR 80 million to finance construction of a second new vessel for Irish Continental Group’s Irish Ferries operations. Due for delivery during 2020, once operational this vessel will be the largest cruise ferry in the world in terms of vehicle capacity and provide Irish Ferries with an effective 50% increase in peak freight capacity.

New ships to ensure flexible service between Ireland, Britain and France

The new ships have been designed to enable flexible use on all existing Irish Ferries routes between Irish, British and French Ports and the vessels will be used to reflect the increased tourism and freight demand.

Background:  The EIB’s Green Shipping Programme Loan is supported by the EU's Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) Debt Instrument and the European Fund for Strategic investments (EFSI).

The initiatives designed both for general fleet renewal and the retrofitting of ships with sustainable technologies, such as LNG, ballast water, energy efficiency. The Green Shipping Programme Loan follow-up work by the European Sustainable Shipping Forum – an expert group bringing together European countries, maritime industry stakeholders and the European Commission.