Athens-headquartered EMA Group is reporting strong momentum for its carbon capture, utilization and storage (CCUS) technology as bulk carrier operators and the wider shipping industry intensify efforts to identify practical decarbonization pathways. The group’s CarbonFit solution is emerging as a focal point of industry discussion around onboard carbon capture for existing vessel fleets.
Growing Industry Interest in Onboard Carbon Capture
During a recent industry event, Alberto Di Ceccio, Head of CCUS for Erma Tech Group, noted the strong attendance and the increasing interest from shipowners in carbon capture, utilization and storage solutions. This engagement reflects a broader shift in sentiment across the maritime sector, where operators are moving beyond theoretical frameworks and beginning to evaluate technologies that can be integrated into existing vessel operations without requiring wholesale fleet replacement.
For bulk carrier operators in particular, onboard carbon capture represents a potentially significant tool. The majority of the global bulk carrier fleet runs on conventional heavy fuel oil or very low sulphur fuel oil, and a full transition to alternative fuels remains constrained by bunkering infrastructure gaps, fuel availability, and the long operational lifespans typical of bulk tonnage. In this context, CCUS technology offers a bridge pathway — one that could allow operators to continue running existing vessels while meaningfully reducing their carbon output and managing exposure to emerging emissions regulations.
What CarbonFit Offers the Bulk Shipping Sector
EMA Group’s CarbonFit technology is designed to capture carbon dioxide emissions at the point of exhaust onboard a vessel, preventing them from being released into the atmosphere. Rather than requiring a vessel to switch fuel types or undertake major propulsion modifications, the system targets the exhaust stream directly, making it a retrofit-oriented solution suited to vessels already in service.
This approach is particularly relevant for bulk carriers, which often operate on long haul routes with limited port call frequency, making frequent bunkering of alternative fuels logistically challenging. The ability to capture and store CO₂ onboard — with offloading managed during port calls — aligns with the operational rhythms of bulk shipping more readily than some alternative fuel strategies.
The growing shipowner interest highlighted at the event suggests that CCUS is no longer being treated purely as a long-term experimental concept. As IMO regulations tighten under the 2023 IMO Strategy — which targets net-zero greenhouse gas emissions from international shipping by or around 2050, with interim reduction milestones for 2030 and 2040 — operators are under increasing pressure to demonstrate measurable emissions reductions on their existing fleets, not simply on newbuilds.
Regulatory Drivers and Fleet-Wide Implications
The regulatory landscape is accelerating decision-making timelines for bulk carrier owners and managers. The Carbon Intensity Indicator (CII) framework, already in force, requires vessels to achieve progressively lower carbon intensity ratings each year or face operational and commercial consequences. Meanwhile, the European Union’s Emissions Trading System has extended its scope to the maritime sector, meaning that vessels calling at EU ports are now generating direct financial obligations tied to their carbon output.
Against this backdrop, technologies like CarbonFit are attracting serious evaluation from commercial operators who may not yet have a viable alternative fuel strategy in place but need to demonstrate a credible emissions reduction trajectory. Onboard carbon capture does not eliminate the need for longer-term fuel transition planning, but it provides an actionable interim measure that can be deployed on vessels trading today.
EMA Group’s position as an Athens-based international group also reflects the central role that Greek shipowning interests continue to play in shaping the industry’s response to decarbonization. Greek operators control a substantial share of global bulk carrier capacity, and the appetite for pragmatic, retrofit-compatible solutions within that community carries significant weight in determining which technologies achieve commercial scale.
Practical Considerations for Bulk Carrier Operators
For operators evaluating onboard carbon capture, several practical questions will need to be addressed during any assessment process. These include the volume of CO₂ that can realistically be captured and stored per voyage, the space and weight implications of system installation, the logistics of CO₂ offloading at port, and the overall cost-benefit profile relative to other compliance pathways such as speed optimisation, fuel switching, or carbon credit purchasing.
Bulk carrier operators and technical managers monitoring this space should treat the growing interest in CarbonFit and comparable CCUS solutions as a signal that the technology is maturing toward commercial application. Engaging early with developers, class societies, and P&I clubs on the certification, liability, and operational integration questions surrounding onboard carbon capture will position operators to make informed fleet decisions as the regulatory pressure curve continues to steepen through the remainder of this decade.