Inverness & Cromarty Firth Green Freeport at the heart of new international maritime innovation project
April 22, 2026
Ports across the Highlands are helping to shape the future of global maritime operations as part of a major international pilot project focused on making port work safer and smarter. Inverness and Cromarty Firth Green Freeport (ICFGF) and its partners have been selected to play a leading role in MariSens – a £13.8 million international innovation project funded by Innovate UK and Eureka to test how digital tools can support the future of port and maritime operations worldwide.
Research is now underway at Port of Inverness, Port of Nigg, Port of Cromarty Firth and Ardersier Energy Transition Facility to look closely at current day-to-day operations and infrastructure and identify how artificial intelligence (AI), data sensors and drone technology could support activities in the future.
The aim is to explore how emerging technologies could help port operators to spot potential issues with equipment and infrastructure sooner, reduce the need for workers to undertake inspections in hazardous or remote areas, and keep the facilities running smoothly.
The results from the three-year pilot will feed into a wider international programme, with lessons shared with partners across Europe and Asia, meaning the Highland ports will influence how maritime infrastructure around the world could be managed in years to come.
MariSens brings together a diverse international consortium of 20 organisations across the UK, the Netherlands, Finland, Spain and the Republic of Korea, comprising business and academic partners such as technology leader Dronecloud and Brimingham City University. The project has been brought to the region by The PowerHouse – ICFGF’s dedicated skills, research and innovation hub.
Alli Vass, Manager of The PowerHouse, said: “This project puts the Highlands at the centre of international conversations around how technology and data will impact on one of the world’s largest industries. Our ports are all different in size and stage of digital operations, so even in this small pilot group we have a lot of insights to offer.
“It may sound counterintuitive for the Green Freeport to talk about automation and AI when we are focused on creating jobs for the region, but this is not about replacing people. It’s about reducing risk and improving safety while giving workers better tools so they can be more available to focus on skilled, high-value work that supports the long-term growth of our ports.”
MariSens is being delivered in the UK by Lyons Consulting, which works with organisations to help them deploy emerging technologies in practical, operational environments.
Connor Lyons, Founder of Lyons Consulting, said: “Ports are under pressure to do more with infrastructure and increasingly complex operating environments. MariSens focuses on real operational needs and how technology practically addresses them.
“The Green Freeport and its port partners have been incredibly enthusiastic about this project, and we’re looking forward to working closely with them in the months ahead to test and refine approaches that could become a blueprint for port operators globally.”
