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Fishing responsibly: a new system that protects marine life
CategoriesSustainable News

Fishing responsibly: a new system that protects marine life

By Zarkon Group,

Spotted: The health of the animals in the world’s oceans is already severely compromised, with many more species than previously thought at risk of extinction. An additional threat to marine life is abandoned fishing equipment, or ‘ghost gear’, which is considered “the deadliest form of marine plastic”.

Ashored Innovations, based on Canada’s Atlantic coast, works with fishers to develop tools of the trade that protect marine life without compromising the quality of the catch. Ashored’s rope-on-demand technology allows fishers to eliminate the use of tethered buoys and, hopefully, better protect right whales – one of the animals most at risk of injury from entanglement with commercial fishing gear.

Called MOBI (Modular Ocean Based Instrument), the rope-on-demand system keeps the buoy and tethering rope coiled on the ocean floor until the fishing team arrives to check the traps or lines. Fishers can choose to use an acoustic call or a timer to release the buoys, and the MOBI system changes nothing about the harvesting of a catch. Fishers use their existing gear to check and reset traps, and then the buoy is lowered back down until the boat returns.

MOBI works with a range of fishing equipment, including lobster and crab traps and trawl lines. A connected software tool called ATLAS tracks the location and inventory of a fisher’s gear, and smart tags and sensors provide automatic digital updates, allowing teams to more efficiently plan their workload and time. Ashored’s tools and technologies are Blue Glove Certified, meaning that they work effectively even when operated by someone wearing the ubiquitous thick blue rubber gloves used by people in the fishing industry.

As well as protecting marine life, the MOBI system also helps fishers reduce the amount of equipment they lose from ship strikes and extreme weather carrying away or breaking their gear. That, in turn, helps reduce the amount of ghost gear polluting ocean waters.

A number of innovations in Springwise’s library are providing new life for collected ghost gear by upcycling the lost fishing equipment into stylish new products such as dog accessories and eyeglasses.

Written By: Keely Khoury

Reference

Turning marine CO2 emissions into useful pebbles
CategoriesSustainable News

Turning marine CO2 emissions into useful pebbles

By Zarkon Group,

Spotted: Proposed international regulations will mandate at least a 40 per cent reduction in CO2 emissions from ships by 2030. Alisha Fredriksson, co-founder and CEO of London-based company Seabound, discovered that shipowners lack feasible options to meet this requirement.

The realisation motivated Fredriksson to develop a solution, leading to Seabound’s lime-based carbon capture equipment, which can be installed near a ship’s smokestack to capture up to 95 per cent of CO2 emissions from the exhaust.

To curb the release of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, Seabound implements its carbon capture system near its funnel. Quicklime pellets are consistently introduced into the device, undergoing chemical reactions with CO2 in the exhaust to form limestone. Upon docking, the pellets can then be used for future CO2 capture on other vessels, sold as construction materials, or divided into pure CO2 for various purposes.

Seabound’s innovative technology holds promise for various vessel types, including container ships, cruise ships, and dry bulk carriers. What sets this company apart is its seamless retrofitting capability for existing ships, rendering decarbonisation of shipping more accessible, rapid, and scalable.

The startup recently achieved a key milestone when, in partnership with global shipping company Lomar, it completed a successful pilot of its technology on-board a commercial container ship. The 240-metre-long vessel, which was chartered by liner shipping company Hapag-Lloyd, was equipped with a prototype version of the system that captured around one tonne of CO2 per day. Having completed the pilot, Seabound will now progress to creating its first full-scale systems, which it hopes to deliver commercially from 2025 onwards.

Springwise has previously spotted other innovators looking to make the maritime industry greener, including a startup that’s developed a ship-cleaning robot and a company that’s presented concept designs for a zero-emission ship.

Written By: Georgia King

Reference

climate-resilient great barrier reef house by JDA takes cues from surrounding marine life
CategoriesArchitecture

climate-resilient great barrier reef house by JDA takes cues from surrounding marine life

By Zarkon Group,

the house at lizard island by JDA Co.

 

Australian architecture practice JDA Co. constructs a climate-resilient residence on the rugged fringes of Queensland’s Great Barrier Reef. Located on Lizard Island, the project emerged from the client’s aspiration to build ‘the greatest reef house in the world’. Employing a design that harmonizes with the surroundings, the house showcases a resilient exterior crafted from board-formed concrete. This robust material protects against extreme weather conditions while maintaining a gentle impact on the environment. Perforated copper blades lining the exterior act as debris shields that can withstand powerful cyclonic winds synonymous with the reef location.

climate-resilient great barrier reef house by JDA takes cues from surrounding marine life
the house is located on the Lizard Island on the Great Barrier Reef | all images by Peter Bennetts

 

 

JDA introduces SITE-RESPONSIVE AND CLIMATE-RESILIENT design

 

In the challenging environmental context of its location, the construction of the house demanded ingenuity. Collaborating closely with the builder, JDA Co. (find more here) achieved a delicate balance between minimizing disturbance to the environment and creating a durable structure that stands the test of time.

 

The house is inspired by the rich geology and marine life on Lizard Island. The architectural plan is reminiscent of the stingrays. Narrow slit windows to the south and west act as ‘gills’ and are placed to direct prevailing breezes and allow the house to breathe on hot days. Every detail of the residence is meticulously crafted to create a shelter and a protective haven when needed. The exterior design seamlessly combines functionality and visual appeal with its robust concrete construction. This carefully chosen material ensures resilience in the face of the region’s winds, offering strength and stability. Enhancing the concrete exterior, perforated copper blades serve as dependable shields, capable of withstanding the strong winds that may arise.

climate-resilient great barrier reef house by JDA takes cues from surrounding marine life
the house is inspired by the rich geology and marine life on Lizard Island

 

 

360-degree views of the great barrier reef

 

A central, curved stairwell serves as the heart of the house, seamlessly connecting its levels. As users ascend the stairs, they can gaze upward to find an oculus, allowing them to track the sun and moon’s patterns. The house is completed by a roof terrace and spa, offering panoramic 360-degree views of the surrounding landscape. Each of the three bedrooms is individually designed to capture vistas of nearby and distant scenic locations.

 

To bring warmth to the residence and showcase the vibrant natural environment, Rosewood timber, and copper materials are utilized. A large curving Emerald Quartzite kitchen bench, reminiscent of a conch, adds a touch of subtle green tones that harmonize with the hues of the landscape and reef beyond. The material selection is deliberately restrained, allowing the surroundings to take center stage.

climate-resilient great barrier reef house by JDA takes cues from surrounding marine life
narrow slit windows to the south and west act as ‘gills’ directing breezes and allowing the house to breathe

 

 

JDA’s 3D LASER technology

 

To ensure the project harmoniously integrates with the landscape, it was crucial for JDA Co. to understand the challenging rock bed formation on-site. Before detailed design and construction, the design team utilized their in-house 3D laser technology, Spatial Ops, to explore, walk through, and seamlessly incorporate the landscape, even from off-site. This technology also documented the construction progress, accurately capturing building elements like the spiral stair formwork for contractors.

 

Fabricating most building elements off-site and shipping them to the island required a precise digital model, achieved through laser scanning. JDA’s experience on Lizard Island showcases the benefits of Spatial Ops technology, enabling the scanning of objects and places worldwide. It minimizes on-site time and facilitates data analysis within days of the site visit. The scanning technology and processes eliminate the need for travel to and from inaccessible locations, streamlining the entire project.

Reference

Analysing marine sulphur emissions – Springwise
CategoriesSustainable News

Analysing marine sulphur emissions – Springwise

By Zarkon Group,

Spotted: In January 2020, the UN International Maritime Organisation introduced new regulations to limit vessels from using fuels with a sulphur content above 0.5 per cent (or 0.1 per cent in some areas). However, it is difficult for governments and regulatory authorities to enforce the new sulphur limit because current sulphur monitoring relies on expensive and time-consuming manual processing and emissions tests that can take up to one day per ship. In fact, fewer than 10 per cent of vessels are checked each year. Now, startup Marine Hound may have an answer. 

Marine Hound has developed a “sulphur emission sniffer system”. It consists of low-power gas analysers located in smart buoys and ground stations around harbours. These continuously patrol emissions from ships in the area. When high sulphur emissions are detected, the relevant authorities are alerted and a drone is activated to collect emissions samples from the suspect vessels.

The company then analyses the samples and provides actionable data to enforcers. This helps enforcement agencies develop more efficient and effective monitoring and reporting, making it easier for authorities to move the shipping industry towards full sulphur cap compliance. 

The Malta-based startup is still in development, but they have recently secured €100,000 in funding to help them progress to the next phase in the Blue Economy Acceleration Programme. Founder Nicholas Borg Calleja has announced that over the next six months, the company will be “accelerating key milestones, working with our strategic partners from Finland and Estonia to integrate novel gas analyser and drone technologies, and consolidate the hardware and software solution in Malta.”

The new IMO emissions standards are not the only reason many vessels are switching to low-sulphur fuel and systems. Many shipping companies are also motivated by a commitment to sustainability. Luckily, a number of innovations are making this easier. Some recently covered by Springwise include a low-carbon biofuel designed for ships and the use of smaller, electric ships. 

Written By: Lisa Magloff

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