The Lloyd’s Register (LR) Maritime Decarbonisation Hub has formed a global Maritime Emissions Reduction Centre (abbreviated as the M-ERC), a non-profit corporation headquartered in Athens, with five significant shipowners as Founding Members. This endeavor, in the perspective of LR and the Founding Members, is important and highlights Athens’ importance as a global marine hub.
The M-ERC aims to eliminate investment-specific, technical, and community barriers to the adoption of innovative solutions to reduce the Green House Gas emissions of the current global fleet, ensuring a collaborative and sustainable safe space for maritime value chain stakeholders to navigate to net zero safely.
To inspire and inform the adoption of new and current solutions to enable the maritime energy transition, the centre will also employ applied research and innovation to remove barriers and enlighten, simplifying the implementation of ideas and technology today. The M-ERC will also assist in achieving optimal operational results by identifying and overcoming commercial hurdles for stakeholders.
The center will play a critical role in ensuring that today’s vessels are energy transition ready, as well as providing the industry’s stakeholders with the essential training and expertise. The goals will be realized through research and intensive collaboration with shipyards and original equipment manufacturers, as well as M-ERC’s work with seafarer groups, society, and ports to support upskilling and awareness among seafarers and shore-based staff.
As part of its collaboration with ship owners such as Star Bulk, Capital Group, Neda Maritime Agency, Navios Maritime Partners, and Thenamaris, the LR Maritime Decarbonisation Hub will seek global and regional funding to fund projects, initiatives, and activities that will deliver on M-ERC’s desired outcomes.