SOUTHAMPTON will be at the heart of the world’s first multi-million-pound hydrogen-powered shipping project.

the Government has granted more than £3.8m in a major push to decarbonise the maritime sector.

The scheme is led by zero-emission firm ACUA Ocean and the energy provider Unitrove.

It is hoped the project will see hydrogen-powered and unmanned ships used to transport cargo.

The Hydrogen Innovation – Future Infrastructure & Vessel Evaluation and Demonstration (HI-FIVED) project will cost a total of £5.4m.

The funding will help build the vessel and develop liquid hydrogen technologies.

The project is expected to launch in autumn 2024 and aims to establish a green shipping corridor between Aberdeen and the Orkney and Shetland Islands.

Professor of maritime fluid dynamics Stephen Turnock at the University of Southampton, said: “We are excited to play our part in helping understand the techno-economic challenges of how autonomous ships can help shift trade to zero-carbon ships and deliver coastal highways.”

Steven Lua, CEO of Unitrove, said: “We are absolutely thrilled to receive UK government support to enable real-world demonstration of the world’s first liquid hydrogen autonomous vessel and infrastructure.

"Having built such a strong consortium of eight fantastic partners across the supply-chain, we can have great confidence that we will deliver something truly remarkable.”

The project is part of the Clean Maritime Demonstration Competition and funded by the Department for Transport in partnership with Innovate UK.

Others involved in the project include the Port of Aberdeen and the University of Southampton. 

Southampton-based firms Composite Manufacturing and Design and NASH Maritime are also involved.