EMEA News
STAX Engineering Joins UK Port Emissions Project with £1.1M Funding
US-based STAX Engineering is stepping up its presence in the UK, joining a consortium led by carbon capture startup Seabound that secured £1.1 million ($1.49 million) in government funding for its first major European project.
The award comes from the UK Department for Transport's Clean Maritime Demonstration Competition under the PortZero initiative with Associated British Ports (ABP) and Lomar Shipping, it said in a statement on its website on Thursday.
PortZero will demonstrate a floating barge-based system that captures vessel exhaust at berth.
STAX Engineering's system captures a ship's exhaust emissions by extending a flexible arm from a barge and connecting it to the ship's exhaust funnel.
The exhaust emissions are then directed through STAX's filtration system, which removes up to 99% of particulate matter and 95% of nitrogen oxides emissions before releasing the filtered air back into the atmosphere.
Meanwhile, Seabound's carbon capture module isolates and stores up to 95% of CO2 and 90% of sulfur emissions.
The combined technology offers ports a mobile, cost-effective alternative to shore power, which remains expensive and sparsely deployed in Europe.
"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," Mike Walker, CEO of STAX Engineering, said.
"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."
The pilot will debut at ABP's Southampton port with Lomar vessels, supporting the port's strategy to cut emissions and improve air quality.
