Versarien - the advanced engineering materials group - headquartered in the Forest of Dean, is teaming up with a sports car manufacturer to make next generation batteries to power the shuttles that unload container ships at ports.

A consortium which includes 2-D Tech, a subsidiary of Versarien, and the family-owned West Midlands sportscar company Westfield, has been awarded £652,000 by the Department for Transport.

The firms are jointly developing what's called an 'asymmetric pseudo-capacitor power pack'. This would be used to power the trolleys used at the UK's ports, replacing diesel-powered engines.

The aim is to help the maritime industry achieve its zero emissions target by 2050.

Currently, electric vehicles are powered by lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries and supercapacitors.

Li-ion batteries can store large amounts of electrical energy but typically have low power output, slow charging times and relatively short battery life.

Supercapacitors, on the other hand, supply huge amounts of power, charge very quickly and last almost indefinitely, but the relatively small amount of energy they hold quickly drains and limits the range of vehicles using them.

The new pseudo-capacitor technology is designed to charge quicker than supercapacitors whilst providing a higher power capacity and longer lifespan than Li-ion batteries.

2-D Tech - which comes out of research at the University of Manchester - will receive £93,000 of the grant.

Neill Ricketts, Versarien CEO, said: "We are really excited to have the opportunity to go the step beyond supercapacitors and move the asymmetric pseudo-capacitor tech we have developed into a real-world application.

"As the world transitions away from fossil-fuel reliant technologies and works towards a zero emissions future, pseudo-capacitor technology has the potential to play a significant role in making a renewable energy future reality."

Julian Turner, Westfield Sportscars CEO, said: "It will bring ground-breaking technology from the automotive and aerospace sectors to the marine industry."

The developers will be working with Belfast Harbour and the Port of Antwerp on the project.