A new collaboration between maritime engineering firm Aurelia Design and climate technology company Calcarea aims to integrate ocean-based carbon capture directly into the design of commercial vessels.
The partnership combines Aurelia’s expertise in green ship architecture and systems integration with Calcarea’s limestone weathering process, which accelerates the natural reaction of CO2 with limestone and seawater to form stable bicarbonates that are stored in the ocean. The system offers a nature-based, permanent, and infrastructure-light solution for CO2 removal that aligns with the operational realities of maritime transport.
Under the agreement, the two firms will co-develop a next-generation bulk carrier that embeds Calcarea’s reactor and supporting systems into the vessel’s structure. Aurelia will lead the ship design, systems integration, and class compliance work, ensuring the carbon capture process can function safely and efficiently without affecting cargo capacity or fuel efficiency.
The project’s initial phase, a feasibility and concept study, is now underway. It focuses on seawater flow dynamics, intake and discharge configurations, and hull optimisation to minimise performance trade-offs. The resulting design will serve as the foundation for a scalable, class-ready platform suitable for commercial deployment.
Pierre Forin, co-founder and chief technology officer of Calcarea, said: ‘We see shipping as one of the most natural environments for large-scale carbon removal. Ships operate surrounded by seawater, the very medium our process uses. Partnering with AURELIA allows us to bridge science and engineering, and turn our technology into a deployable maritime system.’
Aurelia founder and chief executive, Raffaele Frontera, added: ‘What makes this collaboration exciting is that it’s not just another retrofit; it’s a new generation of clean ship design built around a truly regenerative technology. Calcarea brings a breakthrough CO2 capture process, and Aurelia brings the design and system expertise to make it practical, class-compliant, and ready for industry adoption.’
Further engineering, system validation, and regulatory engagement are expected to follow as the project progresses toward approval in principle and eventual demonstration at sea. If successful, the initiative could open a new pathway for integrating carbon capture into ship design, complementing existing efforts focused on fuel transition and onboard carbon storage.
