In March 2025, the Department for Transport (DfT) published the maritime decarbonisation strategy (MDS), which set out the pathway for our domestic maritime sector to reach zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 and included policies and regulations to drive emissions reductions. Research and development (R&D) is needed to ensure that clean maritime technologies are available at scale as early as possible at an affordable price for the sector to adopt. Supporting UK R&D builds on UK expertise and innovation – a guiding principle of the MDS.
Since 2022, the UK Shipping Office for Reducing Emissions (UK SHORE) programme in the DfT has allocated £240 million R&D funding to develop clean maritime technologies. UK SHORE has funded more than 200 projects, leveraging over £110 million direct private investment. This funding has benefitted all UK nations and regions, supporting over 500 organisations, including over 250 SMEs. UK SHORE has enabled the sector to develop electric and efficiency solutions for various vessel types like ferries, cargo vessels and offshore wind vessels and progressed zero and near-zero GHG emission solutions such as hydrogen, ammonia and methanol. Further R&D is required to develop solutions to maturity and increase commercial viability.
That is why I am pleased to announce we intend to fund £448 million of R&D investment for UK SHORE between 2026 and 2030. Building on the successes to date, the second phase of UK SHORE will further accelerate the technologies necessary to decarbonise the UK maritime sector and meet MDS aims through R&D and capture economic growth opportunities by cementing the UK as a place for maritime innovation. Subject to business case approval, this will unlock innovation and investment potential in UK technologies, in UK businesses, at UK ports and in UK shipyards.
Today, I am providing our proposed outline of the future UK SHORE programme to allow industry to plan the next 5 years of clean maritime innovation. In collaboration with Innovate UK as a delivery partner, UK SHORE will:
-
Accelerate the commercialisation of developed technologies, including through a future round of the Zero Emission Vessels and Infrastructure competition (ZEVI2) to be launched in 2026. This will fund the build and commercial trial of clean maritime solutions.
-
Develop emerging technologies through to being ready for market, including through a seventh round of the Clean Maritime Demonstration Competition (CMDC7) to be launched in 2026, focusing on real-world demonstration projects concluding in 2030. This will be followed by 2 more rounds to be launched between 2027 and 2029.
-
Support early scientific research of novel technologies through the ongoing work of the Clean Maritime Research Hub until at least 2028 in collaboration with the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council.
-
Enable development of whole system solutions and penetration of international markets through international R&D. This includes participation in the global Eureka research programme to conduct pre-deployment trials.
-
We will also focus efforts on tackling the barriers to the scale-up of the technologies and companies supported through this funding, working with Innovate UK, across government, the National Wealth Fund and the British Business Bank.
Through supporting UK businesses to accelerate technologies through to market readiness, UK SHORE will advance competitive advantage in clean maritime solutions while complementing wider UK strengths in R&D like automotive, battery systems and hydrogen propulsion. The work to scale-up UK technologies and penetrate international markets will strengthen the UK supply chain, increase exports and bolster international leadership.
Finally, UK SHORE will aim to continue investment in each Devolved Administration and all regions of the UK, supporting growth in coastal communities and manufacturing heartlands.
