Seabound, a leader in marine carbon capture based in the UK, has been awarded £1.1 million from the UK government’s Clean Maritime Demonstration Competition (CMDC6). This funding will support a groundbreaking project at the Port of Southampton in collaboration with Associated British Ports (ABP) and STAX Engineering. The initiative aims to deploy a combined carbon and air pollution capture solution for ships while they are docked.
A First-of-its-Kind Partnership
This project unites three key players: Seabound, known for its modular carbon capture technology; STAX Engineering, which specializes in barge-based emission capture systems; and Associated British Ports (ABP), the UK’s largest port operator, which is committed to reaching net-zero emissions by 2040. This collaboration will make the Port of Southampton the first UK port to host a fully integrated system that captures both carbon dioxide (CO2) and other harmful pollutants, such as sulfur oxides (SOx) and nitrogen oxides (NOx), directly from ships.
The Technology: How It Works
The innovative solution uses a barge-based system that connects directly to a ship’s exhaust. The STAX system first purifies the exhaust by removing up to 99% of particulate matter and 95% of nitrogen oxides. The cleaned gas then flows into Seabound’s carbon capture unit, which isolates and stores up to 95% of the carbon dioxide and 98% of the remaining sulfur. This vessel-agnostic approach allows ships to meet strict environmental regulations without requiring expensive retrofits or structural changes to either the vessel or the port. The £1.1 million in funding will support crucial pre-deployment work, including testing logistics and refining the system.
Supporting a Broader Vision
Beyond the immediate environmental benefits, this project provides a practical and scalable alternative to traditional shore power. It has also received support from lomarlabs, a maritime venture lab, which is helping Seabound’s commercialization efforts. The initiative is expected to create new skilled jobs at the port in areas like barge operations and maintenance. ABP plans to use this as a model to expand the solution to other ports across the country and, eventually, worldwide. This project builds on Seabound’s previous success in CMDC Round 3, where it achieved a 78% CO2 capture efficiency during a shipboard demonstration.
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Source: PR News
