Northern Ireland businesses are being urged to seize a share of £271 million in UK Government funding aimed at greening the maritime sector and boosting coastal economies. The call comes as a major roadshow event took place in Belfast this week to help local companies navigate the application process for grants to develop clean boat fuels and zero-emission technologies.
The Department for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) is encouraging maritime firms, ports, and technology developers to engage with two major funding competitions available under the UK Shipping Office for Reducing Emissions (UK SHORE) programme. The initiative represents a significant opportunity for the region’s maritime cluster to secure investment for decarbonisation projects ranging from hydrogen-powered vessels to shore-side charging infrastructure.
Belfast Roadshow Connects Local Firms to National Funding
The UK SHORE Regional Tour event took place on 12 May 2026 at the Belfast offices of A&L Goodbody, organised by the Northern Ireland Maritime and Offshore network (NIMO). The session provided a direct line for local businesses to the Department for Transport and Innovate UK Business Connect to understand how to bid for the multi-million-pound pots.
The funding flows through two distinct competitions:
- Clean Maritime Demonstration Competition (CMDC) Round 7: Supporting deployment trials, pre-deployment testing, and feasibility studies for innovative clean technologies
- Zero Emission Vessels and Infrastructure (ZEVI) Round 2: Funding the development and build of alternative fuel vessels, electric craft, and supporting port infrastructure
Both form part of the UK SHORE programme announced in March, which aims to support skilled jobs across the UK maritime sector.
Minister Welcomes “Real and Meaningful Step”
DAERA Minister Andrew Muir welcomed the investment, linking it to Northern Ireland’s broader climate agenda. He said:
“This investment has the potential to support many skilled jobs and deliver significant benefits for shipping and coastal communities. I strongly welcome the UK Government’s announcement on this substantial funding opportunity and would encourage local maritime businesses to engage with this event to understand the opportunities available.
“This funding opportunity represents a real and meaningful step in supporting the maritime sector to reduce its emissions and reap the benefits of decarbonisation. This should in turn assist in the delivery of our collective climate ambition, building on the publication of Northern Ireland’s Climate Adaptation Programme, progress on the draft Climate Action Plan along with work to establish a Just Transition Commission for Northern Ireland. My department is keen to see Northern Ireland businesses benefit fully from these developments.”
Regulatory Push Meets Financial Pull
The funding drive arrives alongside new regulatory pressure. From 1 July 2026, the UK Emissions Trading Scheme (UK ETS) will extend to the domestic maritime sector, bringing shipping activities within scope of emissions trading and creating a direct financial incentive to invest in cleaner technologies.
The Belfast event represents a timely bridge between this new regulatory reality and the available financial support. While specific grant allocations and timelines were not detailed in the announcement, the competitions are expected to support projects ranging from feasibility studies to full-scale deployment of zero-emission vessels.
Questions Remain Over Regional Balance
While the funding pot is substantial, several questions remain unanswered in the announcement:
- What specific mechanisms will ensure Northern Ireland’s smaller maritime firms can compete effectively against larger UK consortia for these competitive grants?
- How will DAERA measure success in ensuring Northern Ireland businesses secure a meaningful share of this national funding?
- What support exists for traditional fishing vessel operators and small harbour services that may fall outside the scope of UK ETS compliance but still face pressure to decarbonise?
The source material does not specify whether any portion of the £271 million is ring-fenced for Northern Ireland, nor does it detail previous success rates for local applicants in earlier rounds of the competition.
What Happens Next
Businesses interested in future rounds should monitor announcements from Innovate UK Business Connect for briefing materials and application details. With competition rounds currently available, the window for securing funding is limited.
The initiative sits alongside other recent DAERA announcements, including the publication of Northern Ireland’s Climate Change Adaptation Programme and work to establish a Just Transition Commission. Together, these signal a period of intense policy activity aimed at aligning the region’s maritime, agricultural, and industrial sectors with net zero targets.
For coastal communities across Northern Ireland, the success of local businesses in capturing this funding could determine whether the transition to clean shipping becomes an economic opportunity or a regulatory burden.