SeaO₂ kicks off research collaboration on effects of scaling Direct Ocean Carbon Capture (DOCC)
At SeaO₂, our mission has always been to develop Direct Ocean Carbon Capture (DOCC) technology that not only removes CO₂ from the atmosphere but also respects ocean health. As our technology scales from the lab to the ocean, understanding how it interacts with marine environments becomes increasingly important.
That’s why we’re proud to announce the launch of DOCKER (Direct Ocean Capture Kinetics & Environment Respones) — a new Dutch research collaboration under TKI Deltatechnologie, dedicated to assess impacts and efficiency of scaled-up DOCC projects.
Launching Fall 2025, DOCKER brings together leading Dutch and international research organizations that combine expertise in marine ecology, hydrodynamics, and ocean modeling:
Wageningen Marine Research (WMR) — part of Wageningen University & Research, WMR conducts strategic and applied marine ecological studies that support the sustainable management and protection of marine, coastal, and freshwater ecosystems.
Deltares — an independent institute for applied research in water, subsurface, and infrastructure. Deltares develops innovative, science-based solutions for the sustainable management of deltas, coasts, and river basins.
Waardenburg Ecology — an independent research and consultancy firm specializing in ecology, biodiversity, and environmental design.
NIOZ (Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research) — the national oceanographic institute of the Netherlands, providing laboratory support through its long-standing expertise in marine systems, climate, and biodiversity.
University of Exeter — Through its SeaCURE project and expertise in marine carbon dioxide (mCDR), Exeter provides scientific advisory. The university is a global leader in sustainability and marine science research.
With a total budget of €450,000, DOCKER will take a multidisciplinary approach to:
Review existing literature on the ecological effects of seawater pumping and processing;
Conduct laboratory and mesocosm experiments to study how marine organisms respond to decarbonized seawater;
Apply advanced ocean modeling to simulate how treated water disperses and re-equilibrates with atmospheric CO₂.
Together, these activities will provide insights into how DOCC systems interact with the marine environment at scale. All findings will be publicly shared, promoting transparency and enabling international collaboration to accelerate safe DOCC deployment.
For SeaO₂, DOCKER marks another milestone in our journey from lab to ocean. It reflects our core belief that climate innovation and ocean health go hand in hand.
Stay tuned for more updates!
