Maritime Cluster announces nominees for sustainable shipping award

2 October 2023

MCN Cup to be presented on November 21, 2023 in Hamburg

The Maritime Cluster Norddeutschland (MCN) announced Monday (September 18, 2023) the nominees for its MCN Cup in four categories. The prizes will be presented on November 21, 2023 in the Bucerius Law School in Hamburg. Companies, start-ups and institutions have submitted all kinds of ecological, economical and sustainable solutions along the maritime value chain. An independent jury of experts has selected the nominees including two Hamburg-based companies.

Upgrading ships and optimizing procedures

The first category focuses on innovations for more sustainable shipping. The nominees include the "NORI Set" project for contactless operational monitoring of connecting rod and crosshead bearings in large engines and compressors at the Stralsund University of Applied Sciences. A project by MOL Katalysatortechnik GmbH to boost maritime sustainability through onboard catalytic water treatment, and the Hamburg-based 3Dock UG whose founders have developed a 3D printing system for additive manufacturing in the maritime industry. The projects in the second category focus on more sustainable operations in ports and maritime logistics. Nominees include "Tide 2 Use," an intelligent pump station and lock control system by Bremenports GmbH, a green marine fuel project by East Energy, and Mari-Syn Fuel, a synthetic methanol fuel project by TTZ Bremerhaven.

Digitizing shipping and talented young professionals

Emphasis is also on how digitalization can lead to greater sustainability in the maritime industry. The nominees in this category are "VIPort," a virtual smart port for sustainable energy supply by ITK-Engineering, a project by Vesselity Maritime Analytics to reduce emissions with underwater drones and AI. The Maco Maritime Competence Center in Hamburg has launched the Port-Skill 4.0 education hub for German port operations focusing on digitalization. Meanwhile, projects by talented young professionals have been nominated in the category "Tomorrow's Maritime Jobs". The nominees are the German Maritime Museum and the Leibniz Institute of Maritime History for a trainee regatta, a project by the Bremen University of Applied Sciences and Hapag-Lloyd on maritime IT, and TOPAS Industriemathematik Innovation for its link between science and business.

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