VARD, in collaboration with 12 research institutes and around 50 industrial partners, has secured funding from the Research Council of Norway to establish a new research center for renewable energy in the maritime sector, the world’s largest program of its kind.
Called FME Maritime Energy Transition (FME MarTrans), this initiative is granted 300 million NOK over eight years, aiming to accelerate the green transition in maritime. The project involves 65 partners from both the maritime industry and research institutions, focusing on research, innovation, and education to drive the adoption of renewable energy sources and reduce the sector’s reliance on fossil fuels. VARD’s involvement includes financial support and resource contribution to various projects within FME MarTrans.
What will FME MarTrans do?
The endeavour aims to solve four main challenges:
- Environmentally friendly fuel is expensive, and access scarce. Thus, consumption must be drastically reduced through renewable energy optimization.
- To use the new energy carriers safely and efficiently, the energy systems on board must be further developed.
- Making green fuels available requires the development of supply chains and new port infrastructure.
- A sustainable transition requires that new technologies are supported with knowledge and development of business models, environmental impact, regulations, and energy system integration.
FME MarTrans will organize much of its research activities and educational pathways around these areas, but will also drive innovation and piloting through company-controlled demo projects, says Centre Director Johnsen. The work will start in the fall of 2024 and finish in 2032.
This will be an important arena for networking, cross-border collaboration, and an arena to add relevance to the research work.
… said Håvard Vollset Lien, Vice President Research and Innovation at Vard.
The renewable energy initiative builds upon the success of the previous SFI Smart Maritime project, which ran from 2015 to 2023 and involved VARD. With 18 shipping companies and approximately 450 ships engaged in FME MarTrans, Norway, boasting the fifth largest fleet globally, has a significant opportunity to drive substantial reductions in global emissions from the maritime sector.
Partners
Research institutions: SINTEF Ocean, SINTEF Energy, SINTEF Industry, SINTEF Ålesund, NTNU, NHH, UiT, Chalmers (SE), DTU (DK), VTT (FI), IIASA (AUT), NTUA (GRE).
Industry and public partners: Amon Maritime, AQS, Bergen Engines, Brunvoll, Corvus, DNV, Eitzen Rederi, Elinett, Fjord Base, Fjuel, Frøy, Gard, Gasnor, GC Rieber Shipping, Global Centre for Maritime Decarbonisation, Glocal green, GreenH, Grieg Star, HAV Group, Havila Shipping, Hydrogenious LOHC Maritime, Hyds, Höegh Autoliners, Island Offshore, Jotun, K.G. Jebsen Skipsrederi, Klaveness, Kongsberg, Kristiansand Havn, Miljødirektoratet, Moen Marin, Marine and Port Authorities of Singapore, Narvik Havn, Navtor, North Sea Container Line, Norske Havner, Oslo Havn, Plug, Rederiforbundet, SFL Corp, Sirius Design & Integration, Sjøfartsdirektoratet, Skarv Shipping Solutions, Solvang, Teco2030, Trondheim Havn, Trøndelag fylkeskommune, Ulmatec Pyro, Ulstein, Utkilen, Vard Group, Yara Marine, Østensjø Rederi.
