WAVES project

W.A.V.E.S will demonstrate the technical and economic feasibility of achieving zero-emission operations by an Offshore Service Vessel (OSV), designed for build by UK aluminium shipyards. The vessel will be flexible in its design approach, both for the types of operations as well as the fuel the vessel may carry onboard. This option allows the vessel to be easily retrofitted in the future if a more suitable and/or economical fuel is identified.

The project will investigate innovative ship design ideas and integration with emission-free hybrid drive-train systems to increase overall ship efficiency, reducing the total amount of power required to run the vessel, thus accelerating the transition to zero-emission fuels. In the short term, a dual fuel approach may be used in an innovative engine room configuration, moving with regulatory and technological developments. In the long term, the vessel will be able to operate purely on selected future-fuels and therefore zero-emission.

The project addresses key challenges and barriers of achieving zero-emission propulsion and strengthening the UK maritime industry such as:

• Energy efficiency improvements of ship and integrated systems in light of transition from high energy fossil fuels.
• Significantly reducing GHG emissions of Offshore Renewable Energy (ORE) activities.
• Integration of innovative drive train systems and control strategies for hybridelectric operations.
• Advancing development and justification of new rules and regulations relating to the storage, handling and operation of alternative fuels in the maritime industry.
• Accelerating supply chain developments, skills and education towards building world-leading offshore support vessels in the UK 

Last modified: Thu, 24 Apr 2025 19:40:29 BST