Marine / Consortium given £500k boost to explore Sullom Voe port efficiency
A CONSORTIUM of businesses and universities has received over £500,000 to explore how to make the Port of Sullom Voe more efficient and decarbonised.
The group includes Cranfield University in England, University College London and Altra Solutions, a new company which uses AI to help businesses make their operations more sustainable.
Shetland Islands Council, the owner and operator of the port, will not be majorly involved with the project.
Chief executive Maggie Sandison saying they would only “offer guidance” and other “minimal contributions”, such as data and potential samples.
The consortium has received £570,677 from the UK Government through the sixth round of its Clean Maritime Demonstration Competition (CMDC) this week.
Cranfield University is set to model options for the port-side infrastructure that will allow for the charging of future electric or fuel-cell tugs as part of the project.
It will also explore the harnessing of advanced sensors for tugboat routing, planning, and berthing, which Sandison said could improve operational efficiency.
University College London will develop digital and autonomous control systems for the tugboats, while an AI-powered digital twin will monitor the fleet’s energy use.
This will be used to predict any maintenance requirements.
The university will also develop tools to ensure the long-term safety and reliability of the tugs’ structural integrity.
Meanwhile Front Technologies will adapt its advanced inspection system for the tugs, and Altra will use Cranfield University’s facilities to create a scaled-down model of the port environment.
SIC chief Sandison said the project would produce more detailed information showing how Port of Sullom Voe could become more efficient and decarbonised in future.
“The tools that are developed will also inform the maintenance of the current operation and its infrastructure,” she told Shetland News.
“This will be done with minimal input from SIC, which is reflected in SIC themselves applying for no part of the fund.”
Work on the project is expected to start in September and be completed in March, with Sandison adding some of the findings may be useful to the council’s future planning.
The Department for Transport announced yesterday that 25 Scottish firms were included in the list of successful companies receiving a share of £4.8m in funding.
The money is going towards projects which support the development of clean maritime fuels and technologies such as ammonia, hydrogen, methanol, solar and electric.
Scotland has received £32.6 million of funding from the CMDC programme in total.
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