Kongsberg Maritime  and Singapore-based dry bulk owner Berge Bulk today announced the signing of a memorandum of understanding to jointly develop and advance the deployment of decarbonisation technologies onboard dry bulk cargo vessels.

As a leader in international deep-sea dry bulk shipping, Berge Bulk has embarked on an ambitious environmental programme that has produced ships like Berge Logan, the most energy-efficient bulk carrier in the world. Continuing this programme, Berge Bulk aims to be carbon-neutral by 2025 at the latest and to have a zero-carbon ocean-going dry bulk carrier by 2030. Such an ambitious programme will require significant technical expertise and innovative talent to achieve and present numerous technical, commercial and regulatory challenges. KM is Berge Bulk’s latest technology partner to step up to the challenge.

“We’re proud to have been chosen by Berge Bulk to accelerate its journey towards carbon-neutral operations,” adds James Poulton, Senior Vice President, Kongsberg Maritime.“Together, we’ll be laying down a positive marker for maritime sustainability that will inspire a literal sea change for bulk carriers and beyond.”

There are two elements of the joint development project. The first will be to evaluate and test emerging decarbonisation technologies for use in the maritime sector. The second will be to integrate both emerging and existing technologies into deployable systems that can be installed on Berge Bulk’s fleet of over 80 dry bulk vessels.

“Berge Bulk is actively engaged in identifying new emerging technology trends to help us reach our zero-carbon goals,” adds James Marshall, CEO of Berge Bulk. “However, there are plenty of existing technologies that we can and should be leveraging today to reduce our vessel emissions now.”

Adapting existing technologies to maritime applications is no small challenge. A large proportion of decarbonisation solutions were initially developed for shore-based applications, requiring significant technical adaptations to meet the unique demands of the marine environment. KM’s extensive experience developing technology solutions for marine applications is critical to the success of these projects and the broader acceptance of these technologies by the maritime sector. Together, the two companies hope to expand the array of clean technology options available to shipowners who want to reduce their emissions today.