Meet the cement transport ship that makes cement ingredients while sailing

The article highlights an innovative approach to reducing pollution from maritime shipping, a sector responsible for about 3% of global carbon emissions. London-based company Seabound has developed a retrofit technology that captures carbon dioxide emissions from a ship’s existing internal combustion engines and converts the CO2 into limestone, a key ingredient in cement. This system is currently installed on the UBC Cork, a cement carrier sailing in the Mediterranean. The limestone produced during the voyage will be offloaded in Norway and used at Heidelberg Materials’ net-zero cement plant in Brevik, thereby closing a carbon loop between shipping and cement production—two industries that together contribute roughly 11% of global emissions. The technology offers a practical alternative to other decarbonization methods like batteries or ammonia fuel, which either lack sufficient energy density for long voyages or require extensive engine overhauls. Seabound’s retrofit allows ships to maintain their existing engines while capturing emissions directly from exhaust pipes. This innovation aligns with the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO