Ocean Exchange Announces Two USD $100,000 Awards to Innovative Start-Ups

Savannah, Georgia--(Newsfile Corp. - October 20, 2017) - The seventh annual Ocean Exchange, hosted last week in Savannah, GA, featured twelve innovative, sustainable worldwide solutions that demonstrate the ability to generate economic growth and increase productivity while reducing the use of nature's resources and waste production, all with an emphasis on oceans, coastlines, shipping/logistics, and zero emissions.

The winner of the 2017 Wallenius Wilhelmsen Logistics Orcelle® Award in the amount of $100,000 USD is Atlas Energy Systems (USA-IL). Atlas Energy Systems, LLC is developing a new kind of industrial battery that can operate in portable sizes for months or years without recharging and provide emission free power for generators. The Atlas Energy System uses the same platform technology found in household smoke detectors and super sizes it to provide continuous, long-lasting energy, even in extreme conditions of temperature or pressure, in the kilowatt range. Over the longer term, it is expected that the technology can be further scaled up to the megawatts range.

Atlas makes its battery sustainable and environmentally friendly by using repurposed leftover material from the medical isotope industry to generate the electrons that carry the electrical charge. The battery has a wide variety of potential applications for ocean monitoring and maritime systems. Atlas is developing its battery at the U.S. Department of Energy's Argonne National Laboratory outside of Chicago as part of a federal program through the Office of Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy called Chain Reaction Innovations. This program gives startups access to world-class R&D tools at Argonne to accelerate disruptive innovations.

While announcing the award Ray Fitzgerald, President and COO, Logistics of Wallenius Wilhelmsen (WWL) commented:

"WWL is excited to present the 2017 Orcelle Award to Atlas Energy Systems. Atlas' innovative technology allows for waste from material from the medical isotope industry to be repurposed in a responsible manner as a new battery technology that is not only safe but may possibly allow vessel operators to eliminate emissions from combustible engines while a vessel is working in port.

"Ten years ago, sustainability was a choice that companies like WWL made. Today sustainability is no longer a choice; it's a requirement; one that is essential to strategy, to culture and one that has a direct impact on a company's bottom line and brand reputation. The ideas discussed at the Ocean Exchange have the potential to inspire meaningful change in this world."

The winner of the Ocean Exchange Neptune Award in the amount of $100,000 USD is Wing Trawling System or WTS (USA-AL). This system can be adapted to existing commercial shrimp boats to reduce unwanted finfish by-catch by 60%+, while allowing a 20% increase in shrimp capture, and has shown 35% reduction in fuel consumption. The WTS looks like an airplane wing that flies just over the sea floor and holds the net open, eliminating the heavy sea floor contact of the trawl doors. The system was created and field-tested with six design generations by WTS founder, who has 49 years experience as a shrimper and many years experience as a mechanical designer.

The Neptune Award was inaugurated in 2017 with focus on sustainable and resilient oceans and coastlines. The award is supported by Gulfstream Aerospace, the Littlejohn Family Foundation and other Ocean Exchange sponsors. Millicent Pitts, Executive Director of Ocean Exchange noted about the new Neptune Award, "It is fitting that WTS won the first year of our new award focused on oceans and resilient coastlines. The WTS is a solution for the industry problem that current practices herd fish into the capture zone. Instead, WTS disperses the finfish ahead of the trawled area. It is important to note that the economic benefit to the shrimpers from fuel savings and increased shrimp capture can help sustain their way of life."

In addition to the winning grant recipients, 10 additional innovators presented sustainable solutions to a distinguished group of conference guests representing business and industry, entrepreneurs, academia, government, and NGOs.

Energy Materials Corp (USA-GA)

Heliac (Denmark)

Perryman Technologies (UAE)

CALTROPe (Hungary)

Rozalia Project/Cora Ball (USA-VT)

Cella Energy (UK)

Sunny Clean Water (USA-NY)

AMP Robotics (USA-CO)

Full Cycle (USA-CA)

Ferrate Treatment Technologies (USA-FL)

About Ocean Exchange

Each year, the Ocean Exchange seeks innovative, proactive and globally scalable sustainable solutions with working prototypes and applications that can cross industries, economies and cultures. 22 experts from around the world reviewed and selected the top 12 solutions that offer the greatest ability to transform industries.

About Wallenius Wilhelmsen Logistics ASA

Wallenius Wilhelmsen Logistics ASA is a global logistics operator serving the manufacturing industry with special focus on vehicles, mining and construction equipment and machinery. The company brings together the shipping and logistics businesses of EUKOR Car Carriers, WWL AS and American RoRo Carriers. For more information see www.walleniuswilhelmsen.com.

Media Contact:
Millicent Pitts
9122570209
millicent.pitts@oceanexchange.org