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SUCCESS CASE
How a Marine Engineering Firm Secured S$200K+ for Electric Propulsion R&D
RIC helped a Singapore marine engineering firm secure EDG support for R&D and prototype development of an integrated full electric propulsion system.
CATEGORY
R&D and Innovation
CLIENT TYPE
Marine engineering / propulsion systems
GRANT TYPE
Enterprise Development Grant support
FUNDING SECURED
Over S$200,000
About the Client and Project
Client Profile
The client is a Singapore-based marine engineering firm with over a decade of operating history. It provides ship repair, propulsion system overhauls, and engineering services across navy ships, oil tankers, FPSOs, and offshore supply vessels. The firm serves international clients including the British Navy and Vitol, and is the authorised regional distributor for a leading global filtration brand. It is now expanding from engineering services into product innovation and sustainable marine solutions.
Project Nature
The project involved R&D and prototype development of an integrated full electric propulsion system for maritime and industrial applications. The system combined high-performance electric motors, lithium-ion energy storage, proprietary battery management systems, and intelligent control interfaces. Its plug-and-play architecture was designed to reduce vessel conversion time, a key concern for fleet operators preparing for future maritime decarbonisation requirements. The project also created a pathway for the client to commercialise a clean energy system across harbour craft and land-based industrial applications.
Funding Objective and Challenge
Funding Objective
The funding objective was to support the client’s Enterprise Development Grant project under the Innovation & Productivity, New Product Development track. The grant funded up to 50% of project costs for R&D and prototype development of the integrated full electric propulsion system. The support helped the client de-risk technical development, engage relevant vendors, plan system integration, and build a stronger foundation for commercial rollout, new product revenue, and future hiring in engineering, business development, data engineering, sales, and customer support.
The Challenge
The client was moving from marine engineering services into product innovation, which required a stronger technical and commercial funding case. The project involved a fully electric propulsion system combining electric motors, lithium-ion energy storage, proprietary battery management systems, and intelligent control interfaces. The challenge was to show that this was not just an equipment integration project, but a credible new product development effort aligned with maritime decarbonisation, vessel conversion needs, and future market demand. The application also had to benchmark global alternatives, justify vendor roles, and show how the project could support revenue growth and local hiring.
How RIC Supported the Client
RIC supported the client in scoping, structuring, and submitting the EDG New Product Development application.
RIC’s support included:
• Framing the technical scope for the integrated full electric propulsion system.
• Structuring the project around electric motors, lithium-ion energy storage, battery management systems, and intelligent control interfaces.
• Developing the proposal narrative around system integration, real-time diagnostics, and plug-and-play architecture.
• Benchmarking the proposed solution against global players such as ABB and Danfoss.
• Coordinating vendor evaluation and cost planning with solution providers for simulation, CAD modelling, and component sourcing.
• Detailing component costing, sourcing rationale, and integration sequencing.
• Forecasting business impact, including projected revenue growth and planned PMET hiring.
• Managing the end-to-end submission through Singapore’s Business Grants Portal.
RIC also continued supporting vendor integration, claims processes, and implementation monitoring after grant approval.
Outcome
FUNDING SECURED
Over S$200,000
The client secured over S$200,000 in EDG funding, covering up to 50% of project costs for R&D and prototype development. The project supports commercialisation of a dual-use clean energy propulsion system for harbour craft and land-based industrial applications. It also helps the client move from service-based revenue toward product and maintenance subscription models, while supporting technical hiring and Singapore’s maritime decarbonisation priorities.
What This Means for Similar Companies
For marine engineering firms, decarbonisation creates a real opportunity to move beyond services into proprietary product development. But funding agencies need to see more than a green concept. They need a clear technical roadmap, credible benchmarking, vendor logic, commercialisation pathway, hiring impact, and Singapore-based value creation. This case shows how a traditional engineering company can structure an innovation grant around future regulation, market demand, and product-led growth. The companies that win support are usually those that can translate technical ambition into a fundable, executable project.
