By Paul Tallon (Innovation Manager – Mersey Maritime) and Simon Eardley (Head of Policy and Innovation – Mersey Maritime)
The Mersey Maritime ‘Innovation Team’ was delighted to support a co-organised Maritime Industry Day with the University of Liverpool and Liverpool John Moores University on Thursday 4th December 2025. The event brought together academics, innovators, SMEs and major maritime organisations for a deep exploration of the technologies shaping the future of the sector. With a packed agenda and two focused workshop sessions, the event fostered rich discussion and set strong foundations for enhanced collaboration across the Liverpool City Region.
The morning featured contributions from leading innovators including the University of Liverpool, the National Oceanography Centre (NOC), Armada Technologies, Bibby Marine and NeuWave Technologies, alongside strategic updates from the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority on initiatives such as the Maritime Innovation Action Framework (MIAF) and the success of the LCR Freeport Innovation Challenge Fund. The day had opened with a national context briefing from Connected Places Catapult (CPC), covering the latest developments across UK SHORE and a forward look towards the anticipated seventh round of the Clean Maritime Demonstration Competition in spring 2026. An update on the ‘Maritime and Last Mile’ Place Based Impact Accelerator Account project, or MaLaMi programme, also showcased how academia, local government and industry are working together to accelerate regional maritime innovation.
Digital Innovation Across Ports and Coastal Environments
A major focus of the morning centred on digital innovation in environmental and coastal intelligence. Presentations explored how advancements in bathymetry, satellite imaging and sediment mapping are reshaping the way ports and coastal authorities understand and manage their environments.
NOC’s Paul Bell demonstrated how high-resolution satellite imagery and beacon-based proximity sensing are now being deployed to monitor dredging activity, erosion patterns and sand-bar movement across the North West coastline. These tools are already proving essential in preventative coastal erosion strategies, guiding timely interventions and enabling evidence-driven restoration of vulnerable coastal zones.
Decarbonisation in Practice: Armada Technologies and Bibby Marine
The event also showcased innovative decarbonisation technologies emerging from the region. Armada Technologies, a University of Liverpool spin-out, presented their high-TRL passive air lubrication system, which is a novel venturi- ‘Bernoulli’s principle’ -driven [SE1] solution where the laminar flow of water in a pipe is being driven by a pressure gradient, and the flow encounters a constricted region along the flow direction. Within this region, there is a pressure drop and a resulting flow rate increase within this section of the pipe that generates and distributes an air–water mix across the hull surface of vessels without additional power. The multi-unit design maintains lubrication even during vessel motion, delivering substantial friction reduction and fuel savings.
This innovation exemplifies the type of advanced capability captured through Mersey Maritime’s Navigating Maritime Innovation (NMI) project, which has identified an innovation pipeline exceeding £1.1 billion across the region.
Delegates also heard from Bibby Marine on the near-completion of their world-first E-CSOV vessel – another standout achievement originating from one of the Liverpool City Region’s oldest and most well-known maritime businesses. Together, these examples reinforce the diversity and ambition of innovation occurring across the regional maritime ecosystem.
Navigating Maritime Innovation – Latest Insights
Mersey Maritime also provided the latest update on the Navigating Maritime Innovation project. The data presented reflects a £1.1 billion pipeline of innovation spanning privately funded projects and those seeking grant or investment support. The findings show a sector highly open to collaboration and strongly aligned with the Liverpool City Region’s wider innovation ecosystem.
There is clear potential for significant workforce and socio-economic uplift if the bulk of these innovation projects are realised, supporting the retention of skilled technologists within the region, diversifying the maritime sector’s talent base, and contributing positively to the region’s GVA.
The final version of this data will be published in early 2026 as part of a flagship NMI Prospectus to be launched at Mersey Maritime’s Innovation Investment Summit which is expected to be held in March
Strategic Direction: MIAF and the LCR Freeport Innovation Fund
The day concluded with strategic discussions led by the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority on the development of the Maritime Innovation Action Framework (MIAF). Insights generated through the NMI project will play a central role in shaping this new framework and its future priorities.
An update on the LCR Freeport Innovation Challenge Fund highlighted the significant potential of this mechanism to accelerate delivery of transformative maritime technologies. With round one recipients now confirmed and future rounds anticipated, the fund presents a key opportunity to activate innovation projects identified through the NMI pipeline.
Future Vessel and Port Systems: Workshop Insights
The afternoon workshop sessions invited participants to consider what an exemplar vessel and port system of the future might look like, with discussions centred on digitalisation and decarbonisation.
Key insights included:
Digitalisation and Data Integration
Participants stressed the need for high-quality, interoperable data streams supported by digital twins and AI-driven predictive tools. These systems must be capable of learning, adapting and filling critical operational data gaps.
Skills, Workforce and Operational Change
As maritime automation increases, recruitment and training will be essential. While autonomy may expand across certain vessel types, human oversight will remain indispensable ensuring that risk is not simply redistributed elsewhere in the system.
Cyber Resilience in a More Automated Future
Greater reliance on cyber-physical systems introduces new vulnerabilities. The groups highlighted the growing importance of cyber deterrence, resilience and system-wide protection as key pillars of future vessel and port design.
Several of these concepts could form the basis of future applied R&D collaborations aligned with CMDC or UK SHORE initiatives.
Looking Forward
This Industry Day reinforced the exceptional innovation capability and collaborative spirit within the Liverpool City Region’s dynamic maritime ecosystem. From coastal intelligence and advanced environmental monitoring to vessel decarbonisation and strategic frameworks, the event highlighted a maritime sector that is ambitious, interconnected and ready to shape the future of maritime operations.
As the Navigating Maritime Innovation project enters its final stages, its insights will play a central role in shaping a regionally significant prospectus and informing the direction of future innovation strategy.
Get Involved in Future Activities
Mersey Maritime will deliver its final Technology & Innovation Forum, the NMI Prospectus launch and the Innovation Investment Summit events in the first half of 2026. These will explore our findings in depth and outline the future innovation narrative for the sector.
To stay updated or get involved, visit:
