Norwegian maritime innovation secures NOK 90 million in EU funding

'This is just one of the EU projects that Maritime CleanTech is involved in. As a non-profit organisation and collaborative platform, we are working towards an overarching goal for Norway: to become a green maritime powerhouse,' says Ada M. Jakobsen, CEO of the Maritime CleanTech cluster.

At a time when the shipping industry's climate footprint is under increasing scrutiny, the EU-funded STEESMAT project is making an important contribution to tackling these challenges. Led by Maritime CleanTech and backed by NOK 90 million in EU funding, a consortium of leading Norwegian and European organisations will develop technology that could cut emissions from ships by up to 40 per cent.

The STEESMAT project will deliver an innovative power system for ships based on medium-voltage direct current (MVDC), which could replace today’s conventional alternating-current systems.

The technology will enable engines to run more efficiently at variable speeds and make it easier to integrate a range of green energy systems on board large ships, such as batteries, solar panels, fuel cells and wind power. It will also make ships lighter and reduce their energy consumption.

With this goal in mind, the EU is crucial. The EU's Horizon Europe is the world's largest research and innovation programme, and the STEESMAT project is part of it. Norway is heavily involved in these programmes, and Maritime CleanTech has secured a strategic position.

'In the past few years alone, Maritime CleanTech has secured more than NOK 1.5 billion through EU projects to reduce risk and support green maritime development. This benefits both industry and Norwegian research communities,' says Jakobsen.

'Combining policy development with market development and technology is crucial if we are to achieve the zero-emissions target. Our EU partnerships allow us to take active, leading roles in shaping new programmes for green shipping and the energy transition,' she continues.

For the companies in the cluster, the benefits are wide-ranging – and go far beyond funding.

'Maritime CleanTech is taking the right approach to working with the EU. They have strategically positioned themselves in key EU working groups, giving them significant influence over both future policy development and emerging opportunities,' says Espen Warland, Special Adviser at Innovation Norway.

'Funding is one thing, but the real benefits are the network, expertise, market opportunities and the chance to influence decisions,' he says.

As part of our work to help Norwegian industry enter the European market, we fund an EU adviser for Maritime CleanTech and several other clusters. The adviser focuses exclusively on staying up to date with EU calls, identifying relevant opportunities and facilitating the application processes.

Maritime CleanTech was established as an industry collaboration in 2011 and has been part of our cluster programme. It now operates independently as a mature innovation ecosystem delivering results internationally.

'We were founded by companies that recognised the benefits of working together to address the challenges of the green transition and were willing to collaborate across the entire value chain to cut emissions,' explains the CEO.

This has led to a series of pioneering innovations – from the world's first hybrid ship powered by LNG and batteries to the world's first zero-emission battery-powered ferry, followed by a battery-powered high-speed passenger vessel and a hydrogen-powered ferry.

'Along the Norwegian coast, you can see these solutions in action. They have strong export potential and offer a valuable insight into what the green transition can achieve. At Maritime CleanTech, we will continue to drive exports while reducing greenhouse gas emissions – with the EU as a key arena for technology development, market opportunities and policymaking,' Jakobsen concludes.