Meet the cement transport ship that makes cement ingredients while sailing

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🗞️ Driving the news: London-based startup Seabound has deployed a shipboard carbon capture system that turns exhaust CO₂ into limestone — directly onboard a cement transport ship
• The UBC Cork, currently sailing through the Mediterranean, is testing the technology en route to Norway, where the limestone byproduct will be delivered to Heidelberg Materials’ net-zero cement plant for use in new cement production
• This innovative retrofit targets two hard-to-abate sectors at once: shipping and cement

🔭 The context: Maritime shipping and cement production are major global emitters, responsible for roughly 3% and 8% of annual carbon emissions, respectively
• Both face regulatory and technical hurdles in decarbonisation: shipping lacks viable zero-emission fuels for long voyages, while cement production inherently emits CO₂ during chemical reactions
• The International Maritime Organization (IMO) has mandated a 30% emissions cut from fleets by 2034 and 65% by 2040, driving demand for practical decarbonisation solutions

🌍 Why it matters for the planet: By capturing CO₂ at sea and integrating it back into cement production, Seabound’s approach closes a carbon loop in two carbon-intensive industries, illustrating how circular solutions can unlock progress in hard-to-abate sectors
• Unlike ammonia or battery-powered ships, the retrofit avoids the need for entirely new propulsion systems, enabling faster adoption
• However, scalability, costs, and operational impacts still need to be demonstrated at fleet scale

⏭️ What's next: The UBC Cork will deliver its first shipment of captured limestone in Brevik, Norway, to Heidelberg’s pioneering net-zero plant
• Results from this trial will inform Heidelberg’s broader plans to cut shipping-related emissions and may pave the way for further rollouts across its fleet
• Competition from other technologies like ammonia-powered engines remains strong as the sector races to meet looming IMO deadlines

💬 One quote: “Using Seabound’s technology helps us reduce the emissions from shipping our cement while creating a valuable input for our net-zero production,” Heidelberg Materials stated

📈 One stat: Maritime shipping and cement together contribute over 10% of global CO₂ emissions, making innovations like Seabound’s particularly impactful if scaled

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