Freeport East receives funding for hydrogen maritime project
Freeport East received funding from Innovate UK yesterday (10 June) and a similar sum from Australia's Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment, and Water, to help develop an international green hydrogen maritime project. The Hydrogen Zero Emission Maritime (HyZEM) project received GBP1.44 million from Innovate UK, the country's national innovation agency, and investment from Australia to support the development of low-carbon green hydrogen technology for high-powered workboats. The partnership, made possible by Freeport East, involves UK and Australian companies specialising in green hydrogen storage and propulsion technologies.
The objective is to minimise the risks associated with implementing new technology and speed up the use of marine green hydrogen. Freeport East confirmed that the project would include bunkering technology, port storage, and refuelling infrastructure and explored how it would support local supply chains. The organisation also aims to support deployment in the regions' ports, with the number of tugs, workboats, and offshore wind vessels in Harwich and Felixstowe making these technologies particularly relevant.
A statement confirmed that the partnership includes Steamology as lead, National Composites Centre (NCC), Duodrive Limited, Chartwell Marine Limited, and The Offshore Renewable Energy (ORE) Catapult. Rux Energy Australia leads the Australian sister project. Freeport East and ORE Catapult will further support regional innovation, as well as building collaborations between SMEs, global industry, and academia in offshore renewable energy.
Hydrogen's role in the maritime sector
Hydrogen continues to be touted as a key technology for the energy transition.
Not only can it store green electricity for the grid, but it can also be used for clean mobility solutions in cars, planes[1], and boats. Hydrogen-powered boats, in particular, have grown in popularity in the Nordics, for example, the MF Hydra hydrogen-powered ferry entered service in 2023. Steve Beel, chief executive of Freeport East, said: "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.
"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."