Lloyd’s Register (LR), in collaboration with COSCO Shipping Group, Shanghai Jiao Tong University and the University of Southampton, has launched the International Innovation Center for Future Maritime Technologies. This virtual research center will focus on the development and validation of technologies applied to intelligent ships and emission-free navigation systems.
How will the virtual research center work?
First of all, this will be a virtual center, i.e., a collaborative platform where these partners will share knowledge, data and resources to research and develop new technologies in a coordinated manner.
The center will not remain only in theory, its goal is to create practical solutions that shipping companies can implement in their fleets in a real way. To this end, COSCO will provide its vast fleet and operational data to test and validate new technologies in real-world conditions before other companies adopt them.
In addition, a Technical Committee made up of the founding partners will be created to ensure that research is aligned with the technical, regulatory and market requirements of the maritime sector, which is currently undergoing a profound transformation driven by international climate commitments.
Project background
Prior to creating the new center, LR had already collaborated with the Shanghai Maritime Transportation and Scientific Research Institute (a subsidiary of COSCO) and Jiao Tong University on the design of a techno-economic model for the decarbonization of fleets. This tool evaluates energy transition pathways and their associated costs, providing metrics for strategic decision making.
The success of this experience was the basis for scaling up the work to a more ambitious international platform, with global reach and direct projection on the market.
What is the impact of this virtual research center?
The maritime industry is responsible for about 3% of global CO2 emissions and reducing this is a huge challenge that no one company can solve alone. This alliance is a global, collaborative effort that brings together those who make the rules (LR), those who do the research (the universities) and those who operate the ships (COSCO) to tackle the problem.
This combination is essential for innovative ideas to truly reach the sea. Moreover, those who develop clean and efficient technologies first will lead the market in the future.
Source: Lloyd’s Register
