admin | 2025-02-07 | 
One of the world’s largest maritime research centres has opened in Trondheim to support zero-emission shipping and industrial competitiveness
Based on and referencing SINTEF’s original article published on February 7, 2025, the FME Maritime Energy Transition (MarTrans) research centre has officially opened in Trondheim. Around 60 partners from industry, universities, research institutions, and public bodies gathered during the launch.
The centre will run for eight years and will bring partners together to help the maritime industry move closer to the goal of zero emissions by 2050. SINTEF states that the initiative is funded by the Norwegian Research Council and industrial partners, with a budget of more than NOK 300 million.
Four Main Challenges to Solve
According to SINTEF, the maritime sector must solve four major challenges to eliminate emissions from ships: drastically reducing energy consumption, developing green and safe energy systems on board, ensuring reliable and cost-effective access to green fuels, and making the transition economically and environmentally sustainable.
The centre’s research activities will focus on these issues while also supporting industry-driven demonstration projects and broader adoption of new solutions.
Competitiveness
SINTEF and NHO presented MarTrans as a platform for combining decarbonization with stronger industrial competitiveness. During the opening event, partners discussed batteries, ammonia, hydrogen, biofuels, sails, air lubrication, and AI navigation as different pathways toward a greener maritime industry.
Although stakeholders are pursuing different technical solutions, the common direction is to accelerate the maritime energy transition while reinforcing competitiveness across the sector.
Industry and Research Collaboration
MarTrans brings together a broad network of research institutions, industrial companies, and public-sector partners across the maritime value chain. HD Hyundai Europe R&D Centre is listed among the industry and public partners participating in the programme.
The programme will also contribute to long-term capability building. According to SINTEF and NTNU, around 100 master’s and PhD students are expected to be educated through the centre, with early collaboration between students and industry partners.
Programme Background
The Norwegian maritime industry has annual turnover of more than NOK 600 billion and around NOK 300 billion in export revenues, making it Norway’s second-largest export industry after oil and gas.
At the same time, maritime transport still accounts for nine percent of Norway’s greenhouse gas emissions and 12 percent of global transport emissions, highlighting the urgency of practical decarbonization measures.
Selected programme facts:
- Research centre: FME Maritime Energy Transition (MarTrans)
- Location of opening: Trondheim, Norway
- Opening event: February 6, 2025
- Original article publication date: February 7, 2025
- Duration: Eight years
- Budget: More than NOK 300 million
- Participants: Around 60 partners at launch
- Goal: Support zero-emission shipping by 2050
- HD Hyundai Europe R&D Centre is listed as a programme partner
Reference: This article is based on SINTEF’s original report, “World-leading maritime research centre opened.”
Original article: https://www.sintef.no/en/latest-news/2025/world-leading-maritime-research-centre-opened/