UK-based climate tech company Seabound has deployed the world’s first onboard carbon capture system on a commercial ship, marking a major step forward in maritime decarbonization.
In partnership with Hartmann Group, InterMaritime, and Heidelberg Materials Northern Europe, the project equips the UBC Cork, a 5,700 GT cement carrier, with Seabound’s compact carbon capture unit.
Using calcium looping technology, the system absorbs up to 95% of CO2 and 98% of sulphur emissions from the ship’s exhaust.
The CO2 is converted into limestone and stored onboard, then offloaded at the Port of Brevik, Norway. The material will be reused at Heidelberg Materials’ cement plant in Brevik — home to the world’s first industrial-scale carbon capture facility for cement — to help produce net-zero concrete.
The launch comes as the shipping sector faces mounting regulatory pressure, including a new global carbon price from the International Maritime Organization (IMO). With few low-carbon fuel alternatives currently available, onboard capture offers a practical retrofit solution for existing fleets.
“We’re proud to partner with industry leaders like Heidelberg Materials and Hartmann to deliver scalable carbon capture solutions,” said Seabound CEO and Co-founder Alisha Fredriksson. “Together, we’re demonstrating how onboard carbon capture can accelerate emissions reductions in carbon-intensive sectors.”
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Heidelberg Materials sees the initiative as a way to tackle emissions across its supply chain.
“Shipping cement is emissions-intensive,” said Lars Erik Marcussen, Logistics Project Manager. “Seabound’s system gives us a clear path to reduce those Scope 3 emissions while enhancing our circular use of captured CO2.”
Seabound previously ran a successful pilot with Hapag-Lloyd and Lomar Shipping and demonstrated port-based capture at the Port of Long Beach.
The company is now scaling up system production for wider use in Hartmann’s fleet and beyond and has a long-term goal of capturing 100 million metric tons of CO2 per year by 2040.
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