The Freight Innovation Fund (FIF), backed by a total of £7 million, announced its first winners on April 11, 2023, and aims to create cleaner and more efficient ways of delivering freight across the UK.
The winning projects include Skyports Deliveries, which will use drones to improve island-to-island connectivity in the Orkney Islands, and Electric Assisted Vehicles, which is developing an electrically assisted lightweight delivery vehicle to reduce road emissions.
The Freight Innovation Fund is part of the government’s Future of Freight plan, launched in 2022, which aims to work closely with the industry to create a world-class freight system that supports economic growth and addresses challenges such as the global HGV driver shortage.
Roads Minister Richard Holden stated that the fund aims to invest in future technology to transform how goods are moved around the country, reduce emissions and traffic, and create skilled jobs.
The winning projects are led by small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) that have designed innovative technology and are partnered with existing industry companies to test the viability of their solutions in real-world conditions.
The nine projects that have been awarded funding are as follows:
- Skyports Deliveries Ltd, based in Orkney, Scotland, in partnership with Royal Mail and Loganair, has been awarded £150,000 for their project called Orkney I-Port. This project aims to improve logistics in ports and hard-to-reach areas in the Orkney Islands using drones for deliveries, surveys, and monitoring. The use of drones is expected to enhance island-to-island connectivity and create more efficient and environmentally friendly freight transportation.
- CurbCargo, based in London, in partnership with Savills, has been awarded £120,000 to develop a project that uses data to track the environmental impact of freight deliveries. By analyzing data, this project aims to prompt companies to change their ordering practices in order to reduce vehicle movements and minimize emissions, contributing to a more sustainable freight system.
- Lightricity Ltd, based in Oxford, in partnership with Bradford Swissport Ltd, has been awarded £119,000 for their project that harnesses the energy from indoor and low-level light sources to power battery-free tracking devices. This unique patented technology has the potential to provide tracking capabilities without the challenges of battery change and sustainability impacts, offering a more efficient and eco-friendly solution for freight tracking.
- Electric Assisted Vehicles Ltd, based in Bicester, Oxfordshire, in partnership with FedEx Express, has been awarded £150,000 to develop a 4-wheel, electrically assisted lightweight delivery vehicle as an alternative to petrol and diesel vans. This project aims to reduce emissions from traditional delivery vehicles and promote the use of electric-powered vehicles in the freight transportation sector.
- Otaski Energy Solutions Ltd and Syselek Ltd, based in Gateshead, in partnership with Costain, have been awarded £145,000 to trial their smart charge and bi-directional converter technology for electric vehicles. This innovative solution allows electric vehicles to charge from any power grid source and discharge energy back to the grid or storage, potentially creating an intelligent vehicle fleet charging system that improves grid reliability, resilience, and stability.
- CocoonFMS Ltd, based in Lichfield, Staffordshire, in partnership with Simarco Worldwide Logistics, has been awarded £129,000 to create a digital calculator for automated management of port costs and shipping expenses. This digital solution aims to provide more accurate invoice information to users, reduce port delays, and improve the planning of deliveries, enhancing efficiency in the freight transportation process.
- Entopy, based in Suffolk, in partnership with Fujitsu Services UK and Atamai Freight, has been awarded £145,000 to create a digital twin of shipments for real-time tracking and information. This digital solution aims to provide vital information and support greater use of digital products in the freight sector, improving visibility and efficiency in the delivery process.
- RoboK Ltd, based in Cambridge, in partnership with Port of Tyne, has been awarded £133,000 to trial their AI system for generating insights from existing video data, such as CCTV, to provide real-time analysis on capacity and asset movement. This project aims to reduce costly delays and inefficiencies in the freight transportation process by leveraging AI technology for improved decision-making.
- Estudio Cactus, based in London, in cooperation with Portsmouth International Port, has been awarded £100,000 to trial their health, safety, security, and environment software for real-time information about port operations. This project aims to increase efficiency through improved resource management, contributing to a more streamlined and effective freight transportation process.
Photo credits @ Skyport