Open Call
Clean Transport Accelerator: Maritime
The Clean Transport Accelerator: Maritime is a six-month programme supporting SMEs developing innovative solutions for maritime decarbonisation. Up to six TRL 5–8 companies will receive tailored commercial support and apply for up to £30k to run a four‑month trial with partners.
Application support webinar
On 30 June, Connected Places Catapult will hold an application support webinar to give applicants the opportunity to find out more about the programme offering, challenges, application process, scoring criteria, and the assessment process.
Overview
Connected Places Catapult is inviting applications for the Clean Transport Accelerator: Maritime, a six-month programme supporting small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) developing innovative solutions for the maritime sector.
The accelerator focuses on decarbonisation, future fuels, electrification and other technologies that support the sector’s transition to cleaner operations. It is seeking up to six SMEs with solutions at TRL 5–8. The programme is delivered in collaboration with a consortium of partners including Serco, Port of Tyne, Portsmouth International Port and the National Shipbuilding Office, with support from Maersk.
Participating SMEs will receive tailored commercial support based on a detailed business needs assessment. Support may include market analysis, value proposition development, pricing strategy, financial forecasting and communications guidance.
Successful applicants will also have the opportunity to apply for up to £30,000 in funding to deliver a four-month trial of their solution with a programme partner, benefiting from access to industry expertise, facilities and testing environments.
The Clean Transport Accelerator: Maritime builds on four years of success from the Catapult’s previous Maritime Accelerator programme, which has so far supported 29 SMEs and delivered 11 trials.
“Being part of the maritime accelerator was an invaluable experience. It provided us with direct access to industry leaders, cutting-edge insights, and a collaborative environment that accelerated our innovation. The connections we made and the support we received helped refine our strategy, ensuring our solutions are not just technologically advanced but also commercially viable within the maritime sector”William Wood, Purple Transform, previous programme participant
Challenge 1: Serco
Optimisation of sea-going fleet operations
How might we enable better insight into current fleet operations to solve future challenges related to emissions, predictive maintenance and/or duty cycles?
We are seeking innovative solutions that offer:
- Management and filtering of the flow of data to improve relevance
- Improved data insights & analysis on existing vessel operations & emissions
- Optimisation of duty cycles for reduced emissions
- Predictive maintenance of existing vessels
- Insights into future fleet operations, including but not limited to – retrofittable clean technologies or clean autonomy
Challenge 2: Port of Tyne
Scope 3 emissions tracking and reporting
How might we enable accurate and consistent capture of scope 3 emissions from entry to exit, including enabling third parties to capture and share their data more easily in alignment with the port?
We are seeking innovative solutions that offer:
- Accurate information capture or a framework for information capture from suppliers
- Inventory tracking & predictions on future emissions, which may be supported by AI or digital storage
- Digital tracking & integrated systems
- Better transparency and efficiency of scope 3 emissions tracking
Challenge 3: Portsmouth International Port
Efficient use of excess clean energy
How might we enable the use of excess clean energy to improve utilisation of shore power assets and strengthen the commercial case for ports, whilst increasing access to low-carbon energy for third parties?
We are seeking innovative solutions that offer:
- Aggregation and management of third-party demand (e.g. construction, events, temporary high-power use)
- Deployment and trial of portable hardware solutions (e.g. battery systems) that can be utilised, shared and/or relocated by third parties
- Integration of software to support management, compliance and commercial pathways for energy redistribution in ports
- Future integration with wider systems
Challenge 4: National Shipbuilding Office
Decarbonising shipyard manufacturing
How might we enable the use of decarbonisation technologies in vessel manufacturing and shipyard operations to reduce lifecycle emissions, lower energy demand, and deliver lower embodied carbon assets?
We are seeking innovative solutions that offer:
- Increasing use of low-carbon fuels or electricity to reduce reliance on fossil fuels in shipyard manufacturing
- Circular use of materials and/or energy within shipyard processes such as vessel building and repairs, or component manufacturing
- Optimisation of manufacturing processes to reduce energy demand
- Reduction of waste across shipyard operations
- Predictive maintenance of plant to improve efficiency and reduce energy use
Who should apply?
To be eligible, applicants must:
- you must be a micro, small or medium-sized enterprise (SME)
- you must be UK-registered
- you must have a solution which is technical readiness level (TRL) 5 – 8. This means that the solution has, at least, been tested or demonstrated in its intended environment and, at most, has been deployed as a first-of-a-kind commercial system
- your solution must address at least one of the identified challenges
- you already operate in the maritime sector, or are looking to bring your solution into maritime space from another sector
- you must be willing to travel on occasion for face-to-face meetings such as the Welcome Day on the 29th of September
- you must be available to actively participate in the programme activities between September 2026 and March 2027 inclusive
Applications open
Application support webinar
Applications close
Shortlist notification
Interviews
Cohort selection notification
Application process
Applications are open until 28 July 2026, 12pm.
Supporting documents
Point of contact
If you have any questions about the programme and application, please contact:
Iwona Wilk, Programme Manager, iwona.wilk@cp.catapult.org.uk
Rebecca Goulding, Head of Enterprise Support – Transport, rebecca.goulding@cp.catapult.org.uk
Core partners
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