26th March 2025, 10:00 – 12:00, Online webinar
Register here.
Background
The maritime industry faces increasing pressure to decarbonise in line with the UK and global 2050 net-zero targets. For existing vessels, retrofitting presents a viable pathway to reducing emissions without the need for full fleet renewal. However, there is currently a barrier to shipowners in the short sea being able to install or retrofit new technology because of the capital costs, technical challenges and the high risk of technological redundancy from being an early adopter.
This webinar will discuss the work being done to overcome these barriers through the Highly Efficient Retrofitted Zero Emissions Coaster (HEROZEC) Project. Using a 5,000 DWT vessel operating between Scandinavia and the UK as a case study, we will focus on modular configurations for alternative fuel storage and zero-emission power generation, along with improved gate rudder technology with composite construction. Join us as we examine how the sector can overcome the techno-economic barriers through a comprehensive design study on the conversion of an existing coaster into a modular, fuel-agnostic, zero-emissions vessel. Learn how retrofitting can become a viable strategy for reducing emissions while maintaining operational efficiency and competitiveness in the evolving maritime landscape.
Presenters
Eugene Bari, CEO of Ecomar Propulsion
Eugene is the founder of Ecomar Propulsion. He started the company after a “moment of epiphany” when he realised that the transition from fossil fuels to clean energy was a once in a century event. Since then, he has taken the company from a concept to one of the UK’s leading developers of innovation tech in maritime. He currently has 8 active patents and numerous publications – including scientific papers – to his name.
Over a lifetime working as a serial entrepreneur, he has launched businesses in the UK, Denmark, Australia and the US. Starting his first company at the age of 19.
He holds post graduate qualifications from Bayes Business School, London and a degree from Leeds University. He was appointed Associate Professor of Decarbonisation and Entrepreneurship by Exeter University in 2022 and continues to work with Universities in the UK and overseas.
Driven by the imperative to make the world a better place for all, he describes the motivation to succeed in terms of electricity. ” There are positive and negative poles and you need both to channel energy. I have decided to be positive and everything I do is a direct challenge to negativity.”
Rob Millatt, Project Manager at Intrada
Rob is a qualified mechanical engineer with experience in marine, automotive and industrial engineering, as well as a chartered shipbroker. Rob has managed various projects with Intrada, including a number of new technology projects across the vessels and port facilities that the company manages.
Ahmet Gurkan, Researcher at the University of Strathclyde
Dr. Ahmet Y. Gurkan is a Naval Architect and Marine Engineer, specializing in Computational Fluid Dynamics, Hydrodynamics, Propulsion, and Optimization. He is currently a Research Associate at the University of Strathclyde, where he has contributed to the improvement of the Gate Rudder system in the ERGE Project and has conducted further design and optimization studies for various ship types.