‍Ecomotus wins new award – as Tier III approval creeps closer

WEST COUNTRY based Ecomotus, which is continuing to fit its groundbreaking hydrogen technology across the fishing fleet, has recently completed work under the Department for Transport’s (DfT) Transport Research and Innovation Grants (TRIG) programme – and has won an award in the process!

Presenting the Chief Scientific Officer’s Award for Inspirational Leadership/TRIG Future Leader to Ecomotus Managing Director Kirstyn Munro, Professor Sarah Sharples, Chief Scientific Advisor to the DfT, said: “This seems a really good solution that can be easily adopted to give significant decarbonisation benefits not only for the marine vessels, but transport and port infrastructure as well.”

The Ecomotus project supported by the innovation grant was to enable precise measurement of the NOx reductions that the EcoPro equipment, supported by new software, will need to obtain certification that engines fitted with the system meet the new Tier III engine requirements.

The current solution for new-build fishing vessels over the 130kW threshold is to fit an AdBlue system, but this adds to build and running costs, as well as taking up valuable space onboard.

The TRIG programme provides small companies and start-ups with additional support, including technical advice and introduction to possible partners and is designed to reduce the costs and risks to smaller businesses as they develop and commercialise cutting-edge technology.

Kirstyn Munro told FN that she was delighted to receive the award. “We ran the TRIG project on two South West vessels, the Salcombe crabber Emma Jane, which was an early adopter of the EcoPro, and also on David Stevens’ vessel Crystal Sea.

“For owners, much of the interest, of course, has been in the cost savings and reduction in engine wear, but this project was focused on measuring the NOx production and proving that retrofit of the EcoPro to existing engines will meet Tier III standards.

“We had to identify exactly what would be required to achieve acceptable Tier III evidence – we were breaking new ground with this project, so there was no roadmap for us to follow!

“Then, we had to find a formula to convert the live parts per million emissions results to g/kWh, through a subcontract to specialists who could provide fully independent assurance of the results.

“We were really pleased with the results – we’ve demonstrated that in real-world conditions, catalytic hydrogen can be used to bring a Tier II diesel engine’s NOx emissions down to a level below that required for Tier III – a reduction in weighted NOx emissions of 65.98%, to achieve 2.81% below Tier III.

“This could have huge implications for vessel owners needing to meet Tier III, in terms of capital and running costs, not to mention space aboard their boats, or the need to move bulkheads.”

The results from the project do not yet mean that the technology, which injects small quantities of hydrogen into the cylinder just before combustion, increasing burn efficiency and reducing creation of harmful NOx compounds, is yet considered Tier III-compliant – but it is a significant step on the way.

“The DfT agrees that a transitional solution that reduces greenhouse gases should definitely be the way ahead for the UK, particularly if it also saves vessel owners money. The MCA has suggested, too, that it would be open to the possibility of issuing 18-month exemptions to owners whilst the certification process is underway with the IMO.

“At the moment, though, the system can be used to reduce fuel bills, wear and tear, and NOx emissions. It can’t be used as stand-alone technology, though, by skippers re-engining or with new builds, who are bound by the existing Tier III solutions, which for fishing boats basically meansusing AdBlue.

“We will of course let FN know the minute that formal derogations or IMO certification does look likely.”

3 April 2025 FISHING NEWS

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