Reflections from a Low Carbon Eco-Innovatory “Sustainable shipping – decarbonising the maritime sector” workshop
Mersey Maritime was pleased to offer its insights into a workshop held on 24 September 2026 organised by the Low Carbon Eco-Innovatory (LCEI) initiative. The session was delivered in collaboration with the University of Liverpool and Liverpool John Moores University, specifically the Maritime and Last Mile placed based impact accelerator account (MaLaMi) and Centre for Doctoral Training in Net Zero Maritime Energy Solutions (N0MES) EPSRC-funded projects and the Liverpool Research Institute for Climate and Sustainability (LiRICS). LCEI is a business support and innovation programme that helps organisations across the Liverpool City Region reduce carbon emissions, develop low-carbon technologies and accelerate progress towards net zero through collaboration with universities.
The transition to a more sustainable maritime sector will not be achieved through a single technology or organisation acting alone. This was one of the messages emerging from the workshop, which brought together a focused collection of industry, academic and innovation partners to explore practical solutions, emerging research and the opportunities they present for maritime decarbonisation.
The workshop was hosted as part of the Low Carbon Eco-Innovatory programme, and showcased a range of pioneering projects while highlighting the importance of collaboration, knowledge exchange and place-based innovation in accelerating the sector’s journey to net zero.
A key theme throughout the event was the need to focus on real-world impact. The MaLaMi project is a classic demonstrator of how universities and industry can work together to address practical challenges while creating pathways for commercial deployment. A collaborative project example was detailed which has explored hydrogen-assisted combustion and engine carbon-cleaning technologies through the AHT Group. Initial findings suggest fuel consumption reductions of up to 5%, alongside statistically significant reductions in CO₂ emissions, underlining the value of developing transitional technologies that can deliver benefits today while longer-term solutions continue to mature.
Mersey Maritime’s contribution to the event was delivered by Simon Eardley, Head of Policy & Innovation, who provided an overview of the organisation’s role as the maritime cluster body for the Liverpool City Region and wider North West. He outlined how Mersey Maritime brings together businesses, academia and public sector partners to drive collaboration across its three key pillars: people, decarbonisation and innovation.
Central to his remarks were the findings of the region-wide Navigating Maritime Innovation in the Liverpool City Region project, completed earlier this year. The research revealed a maritime innovation pipeline worth approximately £1.9 billion, encompassing 188 projects across industry and academia partners. Significantly, the study found an overwhelming appetite for collaboration, with 91% of respondents expressing openness to partnership. This appetite for collaboration is precisely what the MaLaMi and N0MES projects are intended to help facilitate.
The evidence demonstrates a region that is already actively innovating, with the project identifying 128 advanced technology initiatives, for example, spanning digitalisation, artificial intelligence, autonomy, robotics and predictive maintenance, alongside substantial opportunities in decarbonisation and future energy systems.
Importantly, attendees heard how these opportunities are not purely theoretical. Examples presented by Mersey Maritime demonstrated how organisations across the Liverpool City Region are already investing in sustainable maritime solutions. Examples included:
- Peel Ports Group’s work to develop smart-port capabilities through digitalisation, automation and renewable energy deployment.
- Balaena Birkenhead (formerly Cammell Laird) advancing digital shipbuilding, low-carbon vessel design and retrofit capabilities.
- Stanlow Terminals repurposing infrastructure to support the fuels of the future.
- Bibby Marine, a key regional innovator, progressing its next generation Electric Commissioning Service Operation Vessel programme, combining battery technology, methanol-ready propulsion and digital-twin capabilities.
- GT Wings who are delivering practical wind-assisted propulsion technology that can be retrofitted onto existing ships, offering immediate fuel and emissions savings while supporting shipping’s long-term decarbonisation goals.
Participants were introduced further to the N0MES Centre for Doctoral Training, which will develop 52 PhD researchers over the next eight years. Presentations from doctoral students demonstrated how academic research is increasingly addressing maritime sustainability challenges, including understanding the impacts of climate change on critical transport infrastructure and developing advanced air-quality monitoring systems for port cities such as Liverpool.
The subsequent discussion session generated a wide-ranging debate around several important issues facing the sector. Participants highlighted the continuing importance of transition technologies, noting that solutions capable of delivering immediate carbon reductions can sometimes struggle to attract the same attention or funding as longer-term innovations. There was also discussion about the potential for further devolution and whether greater local decision-making powers could unlock additional funding opportunities that better reflect regional strengths and priorities.
The final session focused on bio-fouling, a challenge with significant implications for vessel efficiency and emissions. Researchers from Liverpool John Moores University outlined their work on environmentally friendly anti-fouling technologies, including advanced surface textures that have demonstrated reductions of up to 73% in fouling, new sensor technologies and materials designed to resist invasive marine species. Such innovations have applications not only for shipping but also for offshore renewable energy infrastructure, including wind farms.
Taken together, the workshop demonstrated that maritime decarbonisation is not solely about future fuels or large-scale infrastructure projects. Collaboration, innovation, skills development and the deployment of practical technologies that can deliver measurable environmental benefits today are key priorities too. The breadth of activity showcased during the event illustrated the scale of opportunity available.
As Mersey Maritime has previously demonstrated, the Liverpool City Region is well placed to play a leading role in shaping the future of sustainable shipping. By connecting industry expertise with academic excellence and supporting innovation at every stage of development, the region is building the partnerships and capabilities needed to help decarbonise one of the world’s most vital sectors.
