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MIT's Maritime Alliance Embarks on Naval Venture

Maritime industry partners with MIT and key industry leaders to pioneer novel technologies for the comprehensive spectrum of shipping, encompassing advances in propulsion systems like nuclear power, as well as in-house production of essential parts onboard vessels.

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Global collaboration spearheaded by MIT and maritime industry titans is underway, aiming to...
Global collaboration spearheaded by MIT and maritime industry titans is underway, aiming to innovate technologies across the entire spectrum of the worldwide shipping sector. This includes the development of nuclear power for propulsion and onboard manufacturing of essential components such as spare parts.

MIT's Maritime Alliance Embarks on Naval Venture

MIT Launches Maritime Consortium to Address Climate Change in Shipping Industry

Cambridge, MA - The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) has announced the establishment of the MIT Maritime Consortium (MC), an initiative aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the maritime shipping sector. Comprising key players from academia and the maritime industry, the consortium will focus on developing breakthrough technologies to make shipping operations sustainable and eco-friendly.

According to data from the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, about 90% of global trade by volume is transported by sea, making the shipping industry a significant contributor to carbon emissions. The new consortium seeks to address this issue while fostering environmentally friendly practices in compliance with the decarbonization goals set by the International Maritime Organization.

"This is a timely collaboration with vital stakeholders from the maritime industry, featuring an ambitious and interdisciplinary research agenda that will create new technologies and evidence-based standards," says Themis Sapsis, the William Koch Professor of Marine Technology at MIT and director of MIT's Center for Ocean Engineering.

The consortium draws together collaborators from various departments within MIT, including the Center for Ocean Engineering, the Institute for Data, Systems, and Society (IDSS), the departments of Nuclear Science and Engineering and Civil and Environmental Engineering, MIT Sea Grant, and others. Moreover, it collaborates with a national and international community of industry experts.

Co-led by Sapsis and Fotini Christia, the Ford International Professor of the Social Sciences and director of the MIT Sociotechnical Systems Research Center, the consortium's founding members include the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS), Capital Clean Energy Carriers Corp., and HD Korea Shipbuilding and Offshore Engineering. Innovation members encompass Foresight-Group, Navios Maritime Partners L.P., Singapore Maritime Institute, and Dorian LPG.

Christia emphasizes that the challenges faced by the maritime industry require collaborative efforts of various disciplines from the School of Engineering, AI and data-driven algorithms, and policy and regulation. This, she says, is indeed an MIT problem, given the Institute's long history of ship research and design.

Researchers within the consortium will investigate new designs for nuclear systems harmonious with the techno-economic needs and constraints of commercial shipping, assess the economic and environmental viability of alternative fuels, develop data-driven algorithms and robust evaluation criteria for autonomous platforms in the maritime space, and explore cybersecurity and onboard manufacturing technologies, among other strategies.

The consortium's academic home at MIT will facilitate cross-departmental collaboration across the Institute, focusing on research projects designed to tackle challenges from multiple angles. These projects aim to improve efficiency, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, explore feasible alternative fuels, and propel data-driven decision-making, manufacturing, and materials.

Christopher J. Wiernicki SM '85, chair and CEO of ABS, expressed optimism about the potential of the consortium, saying, "The consortium brings a powerful collection of significant companies that, together, has the potential to be a global shipping shaper in itself." He emphasized the unique blend of world-class organizations featured in the consortium, asserting that this alliance, combined with MIT's technological reach, offers significant potential to drive progress.

Long term, the consortium hopes to provide the "gravity" necessary to inspire and enable the development of novel technology and policy innovations that will be instrumental in meeting emerging regulatory demands and global decarbonization targets in shipping.

  1. The shipping industry, carrying 90% of global trade by volume, is a significant contributor to carbon emissions, as revealed by data from the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development.
  2. The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) has launched the MIT Maritime Consortium (MC) to address this issue and make shipping operations sustainable.
  3. Composed of academic and industry stakeholders, the consortium aims to develop breakthrough technologies for eco-friendly shipping practices.
  4. Key contributors to the consortium include the Center for Ocean Engineering, the Institute for Data, Systems, and Society (IDSS), the departments of Nuclear Science and Engineering and Civil and Environmental Engineering, MIT Sea Grant, and others.
  5. Co-led by Themis Sapsis and Fotini Christia, the consortium includes members such as the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS), Capital Clean Energy Carriers Corp., and HD Korea Shipbuilding.
  6. Christia highlights the importance of collaboration between various disciplines, including engineering, AI, data-driven algorithms, and policy and regulation.
  7. Researchers will investigate new nuclear system designs, assess alternative fuel viability, develop autonomous platform algorithms, and explore cybersecurity and onboard manufacturing technologies.
  8. The consortium's academic home at MIT will facilitate cross-departmental collaboration, focusing on efficiency improvements, greenhouse gas reduction, alternative fuel exploration, and data-driven decision-making.
  9. Christina emphasizes that the maritime industry challenges require a comprehensive approach, encompassing technical, economic, and environmental perspectives.
  10. The long history of ship research and design at MIT positions the Institute well to tackle these challenges and drive innovation.
  11. The consortium aspires to provide the "gravity" needed to inspire and enable the development of novel technology and policy innovations.
  12. These innovations are essential for meeting emerging regulatory demands and global decarbonization targets in the shipping industry.
  13. With the consortium's unique blend of world-class organizations and MIT's technological reach, significant progress in the maritime sector is anticipated.
  14. The ultimate goal of the MIT Maritime Consortium is to contribute to a cleaner environment and sustainable society through its research in science, engineering, technology, and climate change.

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