We believe zero emission solutions are not just possible, but also the most cost effective approach when employed correctly - by focusing on efficiency, the use of available free energy and repurposing captured emissions.
Our major differentiator is our unique perspective. We are a diverse team of experts in fluid dynamics, systems integration, logistics and strategy - unified by a sense of duty to reduce our impact on this planet.
Covering a diverse range from F1 to EVs, Rob has pioneered aerodynamics and computational fluid dynamics for decades, culminating with eight years at Tesla.
With extensive experience in the energy trading, shipping, banking and tech industries, Sam is keenly aware of the commercial and logistical dynamics at play.
With 20 year spent working in Formula 1, Stefano is used to innovating in a world where fast pace, agility and accuracy are the keys to success.
Shipping is the backbone of the global economy, responsible for moving over 80% of all trade in goods by volume.
While shipping remains the lowest emission form of moving goods on a CO2 per ton mile basis, the scale of maritme operations means the impacts are significant.
The shipping industry produces around 1 billion tonnes of CO2 emissions (IMO 2020), more than 3 times greater than emissions from the entire UK during the same time frame (ourworldindata). Currently it represents around 3% of anthropogenic CO2 emissions, however as the shipping industry grows in size, and other industries decarbonise, this proportion is likely to increase.
Recent studies have placed the death toll of air pollution specifically from shipping at anywhere up to 400 000 per year, along with a host of other debilitating conditions, such as up to 6.4 million cases of childhood asthma.
Shipping emits a vast array of other chemicals that don't have the brand recognition of CO2, such as Sulfur Oxides, Black Carbon and Particulate Matter - however, on a tonne to tonne basis (or a CO2e), they are far, far more dangerous. The cumulative impact on Global Warming of all these other emissions produced by shipping outweighs that of the CO2 it produces (IMO).
Currently, almost all ports in the world operate on a first come first served basis. This causes ships to sail at maximum speed and lowest efficiency to then sit for up to months at a time waiting to offload cargo. Reputable studies have shown that moving to a just in time arrival system could reduce emissions from shipping by as much as 25%.
The IMF recently calculated global implicit and explicit subsidies on fossil fuel production to be $5.9 trillion. Looking just at oil-based products, this would imply an approximate subsidy of $1100/tonne. This puts the subsidy for Shipping's oil usage at $376 Billion, every year.
Adopting slower speeds on key maritime routes could be an effective way to lower emissions in the short term. However, there are risks even with slow steaming - with vessels and their engines working outside their optimised design speed, you can increase particulate matter emissions.
Designing ships to operate at lower speeds could circumvent this, and allow more effective adoption of technologies such as Wind Propulsion.
Shipping emits almost 23 million tonnes of NOx annually, matching the entire output of the 38 countries in the OECD (which includes the USA, Germany, France and the UK). With a Global Warming Potential of over 30 times greater than CO2, NOX emissions from shipping equate to the same impact as its CO2 emissions. NOx also reacts with UV light to form SMOG, and is responsible for creating acid rain.
While a lot of ship operators and owners are looking at LNG as a path to lowering emissions, recent studies have shown that at its worst, LNG has more well to wake greenhouse gas emissions than coal, while at its best, it's only a marginal improvement over the worst fossil based fuel.
Ammonia is gaining traction as a potential carbon-free fuel for maritime decarbonization. However, while it can reduce CO2 emissions, its combustion generates other harmful Green House Gasses, including large amounts of nitrous oxide (N₂O), other oxides of nitrogen (NOx), and unburnt ammonia (NH₃), representing a massive risk to global warming, air quality and both public & environmental health.
Shipping emits about 12 million tonnes of SOx annually, accounting for a full 8% of global emissions. SOx reacts with compounds in the atmosphere to form small particles (particulate matter pollution). Just like NOX, SOx is extremely hazardous to the environment and human health. In humans it can cause respiratory diseases from long term exposure. It is also a suspected mutagen. For the environment it causes acid rain, acidification of the oceans.
Black Carbon, generated by the incomplete combustion of Heavy Fuel Oil used in shipping, is estimated to be 3200 worse than CO2 for global warming. This means the 100 000 tonnes generated by shipping equates to the same impact as emitting 300 million tonnes of CO2 - the equivalent CO2 emissions of the entire UK. Additionally, it is considered the most harmful air pollutant to human health.
Shipping emits almost 60 000 tonnes of Nitrous Oxide annually; however, it is estimated that the climate impact of N2O is almost 300 times more severe than Carbon Dioxide, therefore equating to 15 million tonnes of CO2. N2O is seen as the biggest threat to climate change after CO2 and methane. When released into the atmosphere, it remains trapped for over 100 years.
