Page 43: of Marine Technology Magazine (Sep/Oct 2026)

and arti? cial intelligence (AI). "In terms of decarboniza- tion, there are a lot of shore-based projects that are com- ing through for the electri? cation of ports and vessels, but also looking at alternative fuels—how those will be used and how they can be more ef? cient—and energy ef? ciency technologies like carbon capture or wind assist.

Those are at a volume that we didn't expect," Slater said.

A surprising new angle is the rapid increase in discussions around nuclear power.

"We've had more inquiries around AI in the last few months than we expected. That's why the UKMIH's four of the areas are really, really important...We need to un- derstand what is being done around software assurance and digitization. Is it actually AI actually on board, or are we just talking very, very intelligent pieces of soft- ware? What does that actually mean? And what's beyond the marketing? Sometimes you look under the hood and you're like, 'We're okay with this because actually it's an automated control system with a little bit of some brains attached to it.'" "That makes it less scary," he admitted. "That is some- thing that we're all learning from a regulatory point of view. Where is the point that we regulate? How do we regulate it? That is something that's coming up time and time again. We're very, very lucky in that our parent min- istry, the Department of Transport, wants us to engage...

Those are very clear conversations that are ongoing."

Innovators welcome

Getting involved with UKMIH is simple, Slater encour- aged. Innovators can expect a nine-step process, from initial contact to triage and engagement. "We bring it all together so that at the end, they come out with a suc- cessful project or a certi? cation, and they feel like they've actually been listened to." "The value that the MCA has worldwide is we've been known to be part of the UK ? ag, but also beyond, in terms of our regulations. If somebody wants to engage with the UK market or wants to have a UK level of certi- ? cation for their project or vessel, having a conversation with us will allow just that." "The UK has been supporting innovation for hundreds of years," Slated added. "That isn't changing. It's some- thing that the UK is open to, from an MCA point of 255,000 members view—especially being open to innovators to have con- versations about bringing their business and vessels to

UK waters." www.marinetechnologynews.com

MTR #7 (34-49).indd 43 MTR #7 (34-49).indd 43 10/14/2026 7:34:17 PM10/14/2026 7:34:17 PM