OceanScore, a Hamburg-based company specializing in emissions regulations software for shipping, was established in 2020. OceanScore’s creation was driven by the founders’ extensive experience in the maritime industry and their understanding of the growing importance of data-driven approaches and sustainability. Since its inception, these values have remained at the core of OceanScore’s operations. In 2023, OceanScore witnessed a significant milestone with the onboarding of external investors and the commercial launch of the ETS Manager around the introduction of EU ETS, which propelled the company to rapid growth. Now a crucial player in the maritime decarbonization ecosystem, OceanScore is poised to continue contributing to the industry’s transformation. We spoke with Albrecht Grell, Managing Director of OceanScore, to discuss the company’s business strategy and future outlook.
(Text by Hiro Yamamoto)
Photo courtesy= OceanScore
――Could you briefly introduce OceanScore?
“Certainly. OceanScore was established in 2020 in Hamburg, Germany, by two veterans of the maritime industry, Dr. Albrecht Gundermann and Cpt. Joerg Molzahn. Both have extensive experience and were instrumental in transforming Euromar and the Portuguese registry into one of the most successful ship registries in Europe over the past decade”
“After building a solid foundation and developing our first solutions for the maritime industry, 2023 marked a turning point for OceanScore. Major external investors like MSC, Doehle Group, and theDOCK joined us, and we officially launched our flagship product, the ETS Manager. It quickly became the primary software solution for shipping companies managing the commercial aspects of EU ETS compliance.”
He continued, “In addition, we welcomed new investors, including Motion Ventures (Singapore), Stolt Ventures (UK), Portline (Hong Kong), and Nordic Shipping (Germany), expanding our team to 25 members. By September 2024, we launched a comprehensive suite of solutions to support maritime companies in complying with upcoming FuelEU regulations, ensuring their continued success.”
――What was the founding concept behind OceanScore?
“Our mission is to collect and provide sustainability-related data on ships and shipping companies. The founders’ wealth of experience in the maritime industry, combined with a data-driven approach and an understanding of the growing importance of sustainability, served as the driving force behind our establishment and continues to play a crucial role today. To this end, we introduced the ‘ShipReview’ solution, which offers over 60 indicators for assessing the sustainability of more than 100,000 vessels worldwide, covering environmental sustainability, emissions, and compliance with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This solution is utilized by major banks, insurance companies, and investors specializing in the maritime sector.”
――OceanScore has introduced a variety of solutions for shipping companies and ship owners, including providing data to support EU-ETS compliance. What is the secret behind your ability to develop such cutting-edge technology?
“I believe there are three critical factors that contribute to a company’s growth,” Grell stated confidently.
“First is the team. A company needs to be built on a strong team that can master the technology, handle data, understand the maritime industry and customers, and possess absolute commitment and passion. Without these elements, success is unattainable.”
“Second is expertise. You need more than just data experts or software developers. Likewise, being merely an expert in the maritime industry is not enough. It’s crucial to understand the key factors for success and how to drive value creation for customers. Our team members all have backgrounds in either the maritime industry or data science—often both. Even the management team is no exception.”
“The third factor is partnerships. We have support at a very high level. We are backed by some of the most highly regarded investors in the industry, who provide not only financial resources but also expertise, networks, and access within the industry. Combined with our own network in maritime, we are always able to find the right people to consult, pitch ideas, and seek advice.”
――The implementation of EU-ETS has made fuel-efficient ship designs more desirable in the shipping market. How can OceanScore contribute to this trend?
“The maritime industry needs to undergo changes in three areas to achieve carbon neutrality: ship design, operational methods, and new fuels. Many of the improvements that generate profits—such as operational efficiency—have already been implemented, and design innovations are on a similar trajectory. Therefore, regulators have stepped in, introducing EU ETS and FuelEU Maritime, which increase the cost of emissions and enhance the business case for low-emission designs, operations, and new fuels,” Grell explained.
“Our contribution is more indirect. Through our data solutions, we provide transparency across the industry, enabling banks and investors to support companies making rapid progress. Additionally, our solutions help maritime companies navigate the regulatory environment and transition towards a sustainable future.”
――What are your future business strategies?
“We will continue to focus on supporting our clients’ success. This involves fully rolling out our FuelEU solution, further refining the ETS Manager, and identifying new challenges that shipping companies face so we can provide unique value through our expertise. We are also investing in global expansion. After Germany, Poland, and Portugal, we’ve opened an office in Singapore and plan to strengthen our customer success and service teams in Asia and other European markets.”
“Moreover, we are making significant investments in AI. Especially for data-centric solutions, AI plays an essential role in enhancing our data quality and generating new insights.”
【インタビュー 海運の持続可能性に貢献】
オーシャンスコアマネージングディレクター アルブレヒト・グレル氏、最先端の支援データ
独ハンブルクに拠点を置くオーシャンスコア（OceanScore）は、海運業向け排出規制ソフトウエアの専門企業として2020年に設立された。同社の設立は、創業者たちの海運業界での豊富な経験と、データ駆動型アプローチと持続可能性の重要性への理解に基づく。創業以来、これらの価値観は同社の活動の根幹となっている。同社マネージングディレクターのアルブレヒト・グレル氏にオーシャンスコアの事業戦略と今後の展望について聞いた。
（聞き手 山本裕史）
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