LJMU part of world-class maritime cluster
Liverpool's surging maritime industry is being boosted by world-class collaboration with LJMU's Global Centre for Maritime Innovation and the University of Liverpool (UoL).
Mersey Maritime - a partnership of government, academic and industry - estimates an impressive 188 innovation projects worth £1.9bn of pipeline activity are currently underway in and around the Mersey, many of them supported by university expertise.
Launching its prospectus 'Navigating Maritime Innovation' at the end of a Department of Transport funded project, Mersey Maritime hosted a showcase this week with partners - the DfT, Bibby Marine, APCL Cammell Laird, MTC, Peel Ports, Haskoning, UoL and the Global Centre for Maritime Innovation.
The project sought to understand and audit the assets and capabilities of the 'world-class' cluster which the GCMI estimates is growing at over 6% per annum.
CEO Ruth Wood said: "The LCR is one of most innovation-dense maritime areas in the UK and what stands out is appetite for collaboration."
GCMI researchers updated industry, government and academic partners on a series of high-profile innovations, including the £2m update of simulation technology used to train mariners and engineers, the Liverpool-Belfast Green Shipping Corridor, the LJMU-led Maritime and Last Mile Net Zero Project and the N0MES Doctoral Training Centre, co-run by UOL, which has recruited 27 PhD candidates to be trained as green energy leaders.
LJMU Pro Vice-Chancellor Dr Aileen Jones said: "LCR is on an upward trajectory partly because the region boasts deep expertise in industry and academia."
Dr Jones recently sponsored a major impact report of the sector.
She said the GCMI brings together innovative research in decarbonisation, smart autonomous systems, port innovation and logistics, ocean governance and maritime law, training, skills and workforce development.
LJMU Principal Lecturer in Maritime Operations and Logistics Dr Robyn Pyne said: "We are very proud to be collaborating with industry and government to make a cleaner, smarter and safer maritime sector.”
