Mersey Maritime is delighted to announce its support for the delivery of the Liverpool City Region Freeport Innovation Challenge Fund. The fund, which represents a £750,000 capital grant programme designed to support innovative projects that address LCR Freeport’s two key innovation challenges, was formally launched on 16 June 2025 and is now live for applicants. Projects are invited to focus on ‘freight and maritime decarbonisation’ and ‘digitalisation of trade and logistics.’
The fund aims to accelerate the development and deployment of transformative technologies that will enhance the Liverpool City Region Freeport’s economic competitiveness and environmental sustainability. Grants between £100,000 and £250,000 will be offered and applications are invited from businesses of all size, research and innovation organisations, universities and FE institutions and consortia or cross-sector partnerships.
Commenting, Mersey Maritime CEO, Ruth Wood, said:
“Innovation is a big priority for Mersey Maritime right now. Our Navigating Maritime Innovation in the LCR project, launched at the start of the year, is well advanced and we are excited to be in a position to support the rollout of this LCR Freeport Innovation Challenge Fund. The Freeport fund offers substantial grant funding to support innovation around two priority areas, freight and maritime decarbonisation and the digitalisation of trade and logistics.
We look forward to working with our colleagues at the LCR Freeport to support the Innovation Challenge Fund and urge those eligible to apply to do so!”
LCR Freeport Manager, Giles Jones, said:
“As the regional cluster organisation for the maritime sector in the Liverpool City Region, Mersey Maritime is ideally placed to support the engagement and outreach work that the Freeport Innovation Challenge Fund will be reliant upon. Those interested in applying for a grant can seek additional support and information from Mersey Maritime, as well as through the LCR Freeport team. Applications must be based in one of the six Liverpool City Region local authorities: Halton, Knowsley, Liverpool, Sefton, St Helens, or Wirral – but we know there are already some fantastic innovators out there. This funding opportunity offers a real opportunity to turn ideas into reality and we very much hope many organisations will get involved.”
The fund is now open for applications, with a deadline for submission of 31 July 2025 at 5pm.
A webinar was held on Tuesday 24th June 2025, hosted by Mersey Maritime, with Giles Jones. This session when into detail around the Innovation Challenge Fund and responded to a number of questions.
To view the webinar, click HERE
To view the presentation given at the webinar, click HERE
