Air Emissions and Energy Initiative
Active
- Assistance listing
- 20.817
- Agency
-
Maritime Administration
Department of Transportation
- Grant awards
- 34 $26,245,170 in federal obligations
Program facts
- Assistance type
-
- Cooperative Agreement
- Treasury account
-
- 69-1750-0-1-403
Program details come from SAM.gov Assistance Listings. Updated . Grant award figures come from USAspending.gov.
About this program
The Department of Transportation Maritime Administration (MARAD) funds maritime air emissions and energy efficiency research, demonstration, and pilot projects under Assistance Listing 20.817, with the most recent grant award dated October 1, 2024.
This program finances studies, feasibility analyses, and operational demonstrations of technologies and practices that reduce vessel emissions of nitrogen oxides, sulfur oxides, particulate matter, and carbon, or improve shipboard energy efficiency and conservation. Recent awards have funded investigations into offshore wind support vessel decarbonization, underwater noise comparison studies between conventional diesel and battery-electric ferries, hybrid tug and dredge design, shipboard carbon capture and storage systems, methanol hydrogen generation, waste heat recovery, and economic analyses of fleet decarbonization pathways. The program explicitly excludes shore-side equipment upgrades and shore power projects. Recipients must demonstrate emissions reductions through approved testing schemes and make operational data (emissions, costs, fuel consumption) available to MARAD for public use.
Award activity has accelerated, with eight awards in 2024 following distributions of seven in 2023, four in 2022, three in 2021, and four in 2020. The program portfolio spans 34 total awards since 2013. Cooperative Agreements dominate the assistance-type mix at 97 percent, with a single Project Grant comprising the remainder. MARAD is the sole funding source across all awards, obligating $26.2 million in combined federal dollars and $26.8 million in total obligated dollars (a $600 thousand non-federal match component).
Award magnitudes vary widely. Recent cooperative agreements range from $100 thousand (energy efficiency technical guide updates with Glosten) to $11.9 million (ABS Center for Maritime Innovation, awarded January 2024 with completion through September 2029). Typical awards fall between $200 thousand and $750 thousand. A waste heat recovery project with Collins Aerospace obligated $2.1 million; a hybrid dredge and tug design with Curtin Maritime Corp obligated $1 million; and a port alternative energy microgrid demonstration with Pasha Stevedoring obligated $1.5 million.
No grant opportunities currently appear open. The most recently posted opportunities date to March 2020 (Maritime Energy Efficiency Pilot/Demonstration with May 13, 2020 due date) and 2019, all now closed. Historical solicitations sought proposals for hybrid or battery-electric workboat demonstrations, shipboard energy conservation pilots, liquefied natural gas transport feasibility studies, exhaust gas cleaning, and natural gas vessel conversions, with typical award ceilings of $400 thousand to $1 million and cost-share requirements capping MARAD's contribution at 50 percent of total project cost. Eligible applicants include vessel owners, operators, and public sponsors.
Objective and description
- Objective
MARAD will use projects results and data for a variety of purposes including further support of air emissions reduction research, demonstration, and pilot projects. In addition, the result will be used to evaluate the public benefits of providing inc
- Description
MARAD will use projects results and data for a variety of purposes including further support of air emissions reduction research, demonstration, and pilot projects.
Eligibility
- Applicant eligibility
Eligible applicants include vessel owners, operators, or public sponsors. Shore side equipment upgrade or shore power projects are not eligible for funding.
- Beneficiary eligibility
The benefit of this project will be for the federal government as well as anyone in the general public and research organizations.
- Uses of assistance
This funding will be used to fund studies in the development of air emissions reduction and alternative fuels/ technologies that will be used to evaluate public benefits of providing incentives to adopt new technologies and alternative energy in the maritime sector.
- Length and time phasing of assistance
The funding is available for one year after date of award.
How to apply
- Criteria for selecting proposals
Applicants must demonstrate a reduction of emissions of nitrogen oxides (NOx), sulfur oxides (SOx), particulate matter (PM), or carbon through an approved emission testing scheme. Data such as emissions, costs, and fuel consumption must be made available to MARAD and can be used publically. Shore side equipment upgrade or shore power projects are not eligible for funding.
- Award procedure
MARAD solicits a request for proposals (RFA), in grants.gov, applicants submits proposals through grants.gov. Evaluation of proposals by program office, selected proposals awarded by the Grants Specialist in the Office of Acquisition.
Grant opportunities
| Opportunity | Status | Posted | Applications due |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maritime Energy Efficiency Pilot/Demonstration Project | Closed | ||
| Maritime Energy Conservation or Efficiency Pilot Demonstration | Closed | ||
| Liquefied Natural Gas via Waterborne Transport | Closed | ||
| Marine Vessel Exhaust Gas Cleaning and Selective Catalytic Reduction | Closed | ||
| Energy Conservation | Closed | ||
| Natural Gas Pilot Demonstration Project | Closed |
Grant awards
Latest 10 of 34 listed here. See the rest on GovTribe.
Top recipients by federal obligations
| Rank | Recipient | Federal obligations | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | American Bureau Of Shipping | $13,467,904 | 51% |
| 2 | Brazonics, Inc. | $2,577,500 | 10% |
| 3 | Pasha Stevedoring & Terminals L.P. | $1,500,000 | 6% |
| 4 | Curtin Maritime Corp | $1,000,000 | 4% |
| 5 | Horizon Lines, LLC | $900,000 | 3% |
| 6 | Maritime Partners Services, LLC | $750,000 | 3% |
| 7 | Carbon Ridge, Inc. | $750,000 | 3% |
| 8 | Energy And Environmental Research Associates, LLC | $744,801 | 3% |
| 9 | Crowley Marine Services, Inc. | $500,000 | 2% |
| 10 | DNV USA Inc. | $500,000 | 2% |
10 of 26 recipients listed here. See the rest on GovTribe.
Federal obligations by fiscal year
| Fiscal year | Federal obligations |
|---|---|
| FY2026 | $7,254,420 |
| FY2025 | $3,352,799 |
| FY2024 | $6,435,685 |
| FY2023 | $4,051,827 |
| FY2022 | $2,115,990 |
| FY2021 | $808,891 |
| FY2020 | $439,500 |
| FY2016 | $386,058 |
| FY2013 | $1,400,000 |
Quick answers
What is Assistance Listing 20.817?
Assistance Listing 20.817 is Air Emissions and Energy Initiative, a federal grant program run by Maritime Administration (Department of Transportation).
What is the CFDA number for Air Emissions and Energy Initiative?
Its CFDA number is 20.817: Assistance Listing numbers were called CFDA numbers before 2018.
How much funding has Assistance Listing 20.817 awarded?
34 grant awards under 20.817 have obligated $26,245,170 in federal funds to 26 recipients.
Who receives the most funding from 20.817?
The recipients obligated the most under Air Emissions and Energy Initiative are American Bureau Of Shipping ($13,467,904), Brazonics, Inc. ($2,577,500) and Pasha Stevedoring & Terminals L.P. ($1,500,000).
How much did 20.817 obligate in fiscal year 2025?
Grants under 20.817 obligated $3,352,799 in federal funds in fiscal year 2025.
Are there open grant opportunities under 20.817?
No opportunity listed under 20.817 is open now. The latest, Maritime Energy Efficiency Pilot/Demonstration Project, was posted on March 13, 2020.
On GovTribe
See this program's full record
- Every grant award and opportunity under it
- Funding by recipient, agency and assistance type
- Alerts for new opportunities
- Ask GovTribe AI about this program