Hamburg - The CO2 Challenge was hitting its stride and moving into the second stage, the project partners Cargill, Rainmaking and DNV GL announced at the SMM trade fair today. The CO2 Challenge looks to find and scale technologies capable of reducing vessel greenhouse gas emissions by ten per cent. The first in-person meetings with start-ups providing innovative technologies were conducted at the DNV GL stand today.

Celebrating the launch of Stage 2 of the CO2 Challenge at the DNV GL Forum. (L to R: Trond Hodne, DNV GL - Maritime Sales and Marketing Director, George Wells, Global Head of Assets and Structuring at Cargill, and Alex Farcet, Partner, Rainmaking.)
Celebrating the launch of Stage 2 of the CO2 Challenge at the DNV GL Forum. (L to R: Trond Hodne, DNV GL - Maritime Sales and Marketing Director, George Wells, Global Head of Assets and Structuring at Cargill, and Alex Farcet, Partner, Rainmaking.)
“We’ve had a positive response to the CO2 Challenge,” said George Wells, Global Head of Assets and Structuring at Cargill. “We have the opportunity to meet some of the start-ups in person at SMM in Hamburg and we are impressed with the technologies and new ideas. As the CO2 Challenge continues, we are confident that we will continue to see interesting options. We launched the CO2 Challenge because our industry must innovate to improve our environmental performance. The solutions are there – we just need to uncover and implement them.”

Since the project was announced in June 2018, the CO2 Challenge has received some 70 applicants from 20 different countries; the scouting process uncovered a further 68 start-ups. The project team, which consists of representatives from DNV GL, Cargill and Rainmaking, are in the process of interviewing the applicants. The CO2 Challenge has received a wide variety of technical applications, including wind propulsion, engine optimization, digital, air lubrication, hull optimization and more.

“DNV GL is very proud to be working with a partner like Cargill, who are demonstrating their vision for more efficient and environmentally responsibility maritime operations,” says Trond Hodne, DNV GL - Maritime Sales and Marketing Director. “The SMM in Hamburg is the perfect venue for moving the CO2 Challenge onto the next stage. With its emphasis on innovation, technology and sustainability, the SMM shows how our industry is moving forward on these issues. But for sustainability to be realised, we need to make sure that new solutions are grounded in solid engineering and meet required safety standards. DNV GL, as a trusted and impartial technical expert, will work with Cargill to make sure that we meet this challenge.”