STAX Engineering joins UK-funded zero-emission ports project

U.S.-based emissions capture company STAX Engineering has joined a consortium led by British carbon capture technology firm Seabound to advance a port-based decarbonisation initiative in the United Kingdom.
The group recently secured £1.1 million (about $1.5 million) under the UK Department for Transport’s Clean Maritime Demonstration Competition Round Six (CMDC6). The competition is part of the £236 million UK SHORE programme, managed by Innovate UK, which has allocated over £30 million to 71 projects focusing on shipping decarbonisation and digitalisation.
The consortium now includes four members: Seabound, STAX Engineering, Associated British Ports (ABP), and Lomar Shipping. The project, named PortZero, is aimed at demonstrating how emissions from berthed vessels can be cut without retrofitting ships or building new port infrastructure.
Seabound’s carbon capture system will be combined with STAX’s mobile emissions capture barge, which the company says can remove up to 99 percent of particulate matter and 95 percent of nitrogen oxides. Seabound’s unit is designed to capture and store up to 95 percent of carbon dioxide and 90 percent of sulfur emissions.
The integrated system is scheduled for trials at ABP’s Southampton Port using vessels from Lomar Shipping. Project partners suggest that the approach could provide an alternative to shore power, which is not always viable for all vessel types and typically requires significant upfront investment.
Mike Walker, CEO of STAX Engineering, said: “This project validates what we’ve known for years—ports need emissions solutions that work today without the infrastructure disruptions caused by solutions like shore power. The UK government’s investment in PortZero proves there’s real demand for technology that delivers immediate results without forcing ports to choose between operational efficiency and environmental responsibility.”