The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration (MARAD) has selected the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) to serve as the secretariat for the newly established U.S. Center for Maritime Innovation.
This decision follows a competitive Request for Proposals (RFP) process, which was carried out to ensure a suitable organisation was chosen to manage the centre’s operations.
The U.S. Center for Maritime Innovation, which is backed by MARAD’s Office of Environment and Innovation through the Maritime Environmental and Technical Assistance (META) programme, aims to advance marine technologies and practices within the maritime transport sector.
Its focus will be on the study, research, development, and deployment of emerging technologies that could shape the future of the industry.
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Ann Phillips, MARAD Administrator, stated, “The U.S. Center for Maritime Innovation will serve as a strategic resource for advancing the nation’s maritime industry.
“The Center will be critical for engaging industry, academia, government, and other stakeholders in the setting and execution of multi-year research priorities that drive innovation.”
In the coming six months, MARAD and ABS will work to establish the centre’s structure, including its working groups and core functions.
During this period, both parties will outline the centre’s research priorities and begin engaging with a wide range of maritime industry stakeholders to ensure collaborative and forward-looking outcomes.
