The US Maritime Administration (MARAD) is seeking commercial vessel designs that combine better fuel efficiency with lower underwater radiated noise (URN).
Up to US$1.25 million is planned for allocation among multiple design teams through MARAD’s Maritime Environmental and Technical Assistance (META) program. Cooperative-agreement amounts are expected to range from US$150,000 to approximately US$450,000, with the amount determined by the number and complexity of selected designs.
Proposals for the program, titled “A Study on Vessel Design Challenge,” are due by noon EST on January 10, 2027. Projects have an 18-month completion window following an award.
MARAD may fund up to 100 per cent of eligible costs, although the solicitation has made no commitment that the agency will award funds.
The program calls for teams to examine hull design together with machinery and propulsion systems, rather than proposing isolated equipment upgrades. Advanced modelling may be used to compare arrangements and calculate their combined effects.
MARAD considers a 30 per cent energy-efficiency gain over a typical vessel using conventional hull, machinery and fuel arrangements to be an aspirational target. Teams that cannot achieve it must document the capabilities of available technologies and the cost of securing further reductions.
Designs must also comply with specified radiated noise level limits across frequencies from 10 to 50,000 Hz. Those limits apply at 85 per cent MCR during non-working transit, or during work involving tow or station keeping.
Fuel consumption, energy efficiency, URN and economic returns are all part of the required analysis. Designs must represent normal operating conditions, and achieving the targets cannot depend on changing routes, schedules or operating practices.
A proposal may address an existing project slated for redesign, a vessel moving into the specification stage or a theoretical concept. Eligible vessels include commercial ships operating on coastal and inland waterways, including the Great Lakes. Small watercraft, recreational boats and fishing vessels generally fall outside the intended scope.
The expected team makeup includes naval architects and marine engineers, along with shipyards, vessel operators and technology suppliers. Charterers, ports, logistics companies, public agencies and financing partners may also participate. Preference will be given to proposals led by US companies, US-headquartered businesses, and US-flag operators.
Each project must produce a preliminary design addressing hull form, propulsion, power generation, machinery, stability and load analysis. Teams must estimate construction and technology costs, provide a return-on-investment timeline and calculate anticipated returns over the vessel’s service life.
The final reports must note barriers to commercial adoption, among them technology availability, rising costs and the experience of US shipyards with the proposed systems. The META webpage will host public summaries, while proprietary designs and commercially sensitive modeling may remain restricted to MARAD and the project team.