Flagship Founders launches Zero44 from

Zero44 aims to help shipping companies reduce their CO2 emissions. The software is set to hit the market this year.

Company builder Flagship Founders has spun off its third startup: Called Zero44, the company measures CO2 emissions from ships and provides recommendations on how shipping companies can optimize their processes to be as low-emission as possible. The Berlin-based start-up is headed by co-founders Friederike Hesse and Nils Obermann.

"Shipping very urgently needs solutions to become more sustainable - and not in a few years or decades, but right now," says Hesse. The startup has developed a digital solution that makes recommendations to shipping companies based on measured CO2 emissions. It calculates the costs and economic impact of decisions, suggesting optional shipping routes, for example. The startup also includes in its recommendations whether it makes economic sense for a company to pay a premium for higher CO2 emissions. Currently, Zero44 is still in the product development phase and is building its team and customer relationships. The start-up says it plans to launch the software this year.

Zero44's offering may come at the right time: stricter climate protection regulations that rate ships according to their CO2 efficiency will come into force from 2023. Operators will then have to submit concrete plans to reduce CO2 emissions for ships with poor ratings. In addition, EU emissions trading could soon be extended to shipping. Shipping companies would then have to purchase CO2 certificates to offset their emissions in European waters. This could increase operating costs for shipping companies.