Image Credit: ZERO44.eu

The maritime industry faces unprecedented pressure to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, driven by incoming regulations such as the EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS), the Carbon Intensity Indicator (CII), and the FuelEU Maritime rules. These frameworks create complex compliance landscapes, with shipping companies, charterers, and managers needing to navigate volatile fuel prices, fluctuating schedules, and shifting regulation-driven strategies. Real-time visibility and automated compliance, a critical void in traditional operational setups, are precisely what ZERO44 addresses with its emissions-management platform, helping industry players act decisively and in a timely manner. 

Founded in early 2022 and incubated by Flagship Founders, ZERO44 was co-established by Friederike Hesse and Nils Obermann, both serving as Managing Directors. Leveraging their industry know-how and supported by Flagship Founders’ ecosystem, they built the company with the aim of delivering rapid, seamless CO₂ compliance solutions to maritime stakeholders.

ZERO44 secured a Seed funding round in May 2023, raising €2.5 million (approximately $2.69 million) led by Atlantic Labs with additional backing from Starthub Ventures, Bernhard Schulte Innoport, and several business angels in the logistics/shipping domain. The capital has been directed toward building the platform, expanding the team, and acquiring customers. ZERO44 offers a unified SaaS solution covering compliance with EU ETS, FuelEU Maritime, and CII frameworks. It aggregates voyage data, charter-party agreements, and verifier inputs to fully automate emissions accounting including invoicing, trading, payments, and forecasting. The platform aids shipowners, managers, and charterers by simplifying risk allocation, ensuring accurate financial planning, and delivering scheduling recommendations that optimize freight revenue while adhering to evolving regulations.

The platform collects and processes vessel level fuel consumption data, operational profiles, and emissions records, then translates them into compliance obligations such as allowances to be purchased or surrendered. Through integrations with ship management systems and carbon markets, ZERO44 ensures shipowners and operators know what emissions are generated, when reporting is required, who is responsible within the value chain, where in the operation compliance gaps may exist, why costs are incurred, and how to mitigate them. Beyond compliance, the system simulates different operational and financial scenarios, such as slow steaming, route changes, or fuel switching, helping companies anticipate the financial impact of emissions and optimize strategies for both regulatory alignment and long term decarbonization.

Image Credit: ZERO44.eu

ZERO44 has already demonstrated its value through practical applications with shipping companies and charterers navigating the complexities of the EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS). For instance, several European short-sea operators have used the platform to forecast their CO₂ cost exposure, plan allowance purchases, and manage carbon price risks effectively. In another case, chartering firms integrated ZERO44 to determine how emissions costs should be allocated between owners and charterers, reducing disputes and ensuring transparent cost-sharing agreements. The platform has also been tested in route optimization scenarios, where operators used it to compare compliance outcomes of speed reductions versus alternative fuel adoption, ultimately finding cost-effective strategies to balance profitability with sustainability. These use cases highlight how ZERO44 is not just a compliance tool but also a strategic decision-support system for seafarers, shipowners, and commodity stakeholders facing the tightening global carbon regime.

ZERO44 has built strong partnerships within the maritime and climate-tech ecosystem to accelerate its growth and credibility. The company was incubated within Flagship Founders, a Berlin-based venture studio specializing in maritime technology startups, which provided strategic backing and early support. It has also secured collaborations with leading European shipping companies and charterers, who serve both as clients and pilot partners for testing the platform’s EU ETS compliance tools in real-world conditions. On the investment side, ZERO44 works closely with early-stage venture funds such as AENU and Speedinvest, not only for financing but also for scaling connections within the broader climate innovation sector. Although specific big clients are not always publicly disclosed, the firm’s solutions are reportedly being adopted by major vessel operators in short-sea and deep-sea trade who face urgent pressure to comply with EU carbon pricing rules, underlining ZERO44’s role as a trusted partner for regulatory adaptation and long term decarbonization strategies.

References

Atlantic Labs, Starthub Ventures, Bernhard Schulte Innoport, & business angels. (2023, May 25). ZERO44 closes financing round of €2.5 million. Flagship Founders. Retrieved from https://www.flagshipfounders.com/news-article/ZERO44-closes-financing-round-of-eu2-5-million

Lawrence, C. (2023, May 26). Navigating towards sustainability: ZERO44 secures €2.5 million funding for CO2 management in the shipping industry. Tech.eu. Retrieved from https://tech.eu/2023/05/26/navigating-towards-sustainability-ZERO44-secures-eur25-million-funding-for-co2-management-of-merchant-ships/

ZERO44 & DNV (2024, February 27). ZERO44 and Veracity by DNV announce partnership to support companies with managing the EU Emissions Trading Systems. AJOT. Retrieved from https://www.ajot.com/news/ZERO44-and-veracity-by-dnv-announce-partnership-to-support-companies-with-managing-the-eu-emissions-trading-systems

ZERO44. (n.d.). ZERO44 – Smart, reliable, and intuitive emissions management. Retrieved from https://ZERO44.eu/

Tracxn. (2025, August 6). ZERO44 – Company profile & funding. Tracxn. Retrieved from https://tracxn.com/d/companies/ZERO44/__XzGcIMZBTAIdbcdI6pjGrhmFdXXtufBKHEVdaVKMq8U

The Maritime Executive. (2024, July 8). ZERO44 new trading partnership program & brings partners for EUA trading. Retrieved from https://maritime-executive.com/corporate/ZERO44-new-trading-partnership-program-brings-partners-for-eua-trading