The United States Maritime Administration’s (MARAD) Office of Environment and Innovation has signed a five-year cooperative agreement with classification society ABS to establish and maintain a new US Center for Maritime Innovation.
Backed by the US Congress, the centre is intended to support the adoption of clean energy and new technologies on US vessels through research and development programmes and training support.
“The US Center for Maritime Innovation will serve as a strategic resource for advancing the nation’s maritime industry,” said MARAD Administrator Ann Phillips.
“The Center will be critical for engaging industry, academia, government, and other stakeholders in the setting and execution of multi-year research priorities that drive innovation.”
Other goals of the project include identifying research gaps in emerging marine technologies specific to the US maritime industry, and conducting research, development, testing, and evaluation of equipment and systems.
Additionally, the centre will be expected to assess and monitor US knowledge of emerging marine technologies and support greater understanding of complex regulatory requirements, as well as document best practices in the maritime industry.
Over the next six months, ABS and MARAD will work together to develop the facility along with its working groups and functions while establishing research priorities and associated projects.
“This will be an important national resource to enable the US maritime industry to respond to the rapid pace of change driven by decarbonisation and digitalisation,” said ABS Chairman and CEO Christopher Wiernicki.
“ABS is proud to have been selected to work with MARAD in launching and operating the Center, which will research, develop, assess, demonstrate, and deploy emerging maritime technologies and practices, especially those related to emerging environmental challenges faced by the marine transportation system.”
“ABS is well-positioned to serve in this role because we bring to the Center our experience as the US-based marine classification, standards/certification, and research organisation as well as the industry leading coalition of research partner organisations and relationships that we bring to the Center.”
