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Climate-tech start-up Calcarea and Dutch naval architect Aurelia Design have joined forces to develop a commercial ship design integrating ocean-based carbon capture technology. The partnership will combine Calcarea’s limestone weathering system — a process that removes CO₂ by accelerating its natural reaction with seawater and limestone — with Aurelia’s expertise in vessel design and systems integration. The collaboration aims to create a new generation of bulk carriers capable of capturing and permanently storing carbon dioxide as stable oceanic bicarbonates. Aurelia will lead the naval architecture, class compliance and engineering work to ensure the onboard system can operate safely and efficiently without compromising cargo capacity or hydrodynamic performance. The first phase, focusing on feasibility and concept study, will analyse seawater flow dynamics, hull configuration, and system integration, which the duo said should lay the groundwork for a scalable newbuild platform and future approval in principle. “We see shipping as one of the most natural environments for large-scale carbon removal,” said Calcarea co-founder Pierre Forin. “Partnering with Aurelia allows us to bridge science and engineering, and turn our technology into a deployable maritime system.” Aurelia CEO Raffaele Frontera described the project as “a new generation of clean ship design built around a truly regenerative technology.” Based in Los Angeles and Amsterdam, the companies said the plan is to advance engineering and validation phases toward a full-scale vessel demonstration.
