Montrose Port Authority (MPA) has appointed Dr Turgay Köroğlu PhD as its Port Decarbonisation Engineer as part of the Port’s mission to become one of the greenest energy hubs in Scotland, reinforcing their commitment to reduce emissions and positively contribute towards Scotland’s ambitious 2045 net zero targets. 

The 24-month role that Dr Köroğlu is undertaking is funded by Innovate UK and has been created as part of a Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) with University of Strathclyde. KTPs are a UK-wide programme that help businesses improve their competitiveness and productivity by connecting them with an academic partner within the UK.

With this KTP Associate position, the University of Strathclyde and MPA aim to develop a multi-modal port energy model, allowing the Port to develop as a green energy hub by identifying the energy needs of different transport modes, particularly maritime, using advanced modelling techniques.

As a naval architect and marine engineer, Dr Köroğlu’s expertise will be beneficial in helping Montrose Port decarbonise its operations. He has an invaluable background in marine energy systems as well as energy, economy and environmental optimisations of energy systems. 

Alongside this, Dr Köroğlu has experience in renewable energy systems and alternative fuels such as hydrogen – an area Montrose Port is highly interested in investigating. 

“I’ve always wanted to make a positive impact on the earth and the environment,” says Turgay Köroğlu. “My aspiration is to contribute to building a better world, ensuring a brighter future for my child and generations to come.

“The main source of environmental problems comes down to energy or resource utilisation. As an engineer, I’ve pursued a better world in terms of improving energy efficiency and resource wastage. Hence, sustainability has always been my main focus and in this role I will be able to merge my theoretical knowledge with practical applications towards a sustainable maritime sector.”

Montrose Port Chief Executive, Tom Hutchison commented, “Our dedication to the energy transition and reducing emissions is highly important to us here at the Port Authority and Turgay, being an expert in his field, will play a pivotal role in advancing these initiatives. 

He will help us lead the way in our aim to become the first carbon neutral port in Scotland, so we are thrilled to welcome him to our team.”

Having joined the MPA team in October, Dr Köroğlu has begun his first steps towards decarbonising the Port by evaluating and getting to know the processes and systems, following the energy input-output: “The next stage will be to look at opportunities for emission decrease, efficient usage of energy and greenisation of systems,” he notes.

When asked about working with the Montrose Port team, Dr Köroğlu said: “Being a part of an ambitious, diligent and experienced team with the same goals of achieving net zero emissions and greener operations was why I wanted to work with Montrose Port. 

“Everyone has been so welcoming and friendly and they are masters at what they do. They are true professionals who have such enthusiasm for their work so I’m excited to see what we will achieve together.

“I am also honoured to be part of the University of Strathclyde team. I was an exchange student there fifteen years ago, and now I am a colleague with my professors. Their support, with their years of experience and knowledge, will bring a better future not only for Montrose Port but also for the maritime sector as a whole.” 

Dr Sefer Anil Gunbeyaz, a Chancellor’s Fellow at the University of Strathclyde’s Department of Naval Architecture, Ocean and Marine Engineering as well as Dr Köroğlu’s supervisor for the project said: “We are very excited to work with MPA and Dr Köroğlu in this project. MPA has a pivotal role as a vital trade hub in Montrose, and implementation of sustainable practices is critical for the port and the regional businesses. Transforming MPA into a net-zero port will allow us to meet our obligation to protect the planet for future generations.”