A clean maritime project backed by Associated British Ports (ABP) has secured government funding to trial innovative green methanol production technology in the UK.

The funding was secured as part of the Department for Transport’s ‘Clean Maritime Demonstration Competition, ABP said in a statement on its website on Thursday.

The TURBO-METH initiative, led by PuriFire Energy, will develop hydrothermal systems that convert wet biomass and waste into hydrogen and biogenic CO2, which are then synthesised into bio-methanol.

ABP is supporting the project alongside partners including Shoreham Port, Newcastle University and the Offshore Renewable Energy Catapult.

The consortium aims to build knowledge on bio-methanol logistics, bunkering, production and demand for large-scale shipping applications, helping to advance the UK’s clean energy and maritime decarbonisation ambitions.