About Dominga Key
The venture behind Alka Nova — building safer, smarter, and more sustainable chemistry for the global maritime industry.
Dominga Key LLC
Dominga Key LLC is a sustainable marine chemistry venture focused on developing and commercialising next-generation chemical solutions for the global shipping industry. We are the company behind Alka Nova — a non-caustic alkaline product designed to replace caustic soda in marine scrubber-water treatment.
We were founded on a straightforward conviction: the industrial chemistry that underpins global shipping can and should be safer, more sustainable, and better aligned with the direction the maritime industry is heading. Caustic soda has been the default for decades — not because it is the best solution, but because no credible alternative existed.
Dominga Key is building that alternative. Our work sits at the intersection of industrial chemistry, maritime operations, and environmental compliance — a space where the right innovation can have meaningful, measurable impact at global scale.
Company Type
LLC — Private Venture
Focus Area
Marine Chemistry
Target Market
Global Shipping
Stage
Pre-Commercial
Our Vision
A global maritime industry that operates with chemistry that is safe, sustainable, and fit for the 21st century — where the default industrial chemicals are chosen because they are the best option, not simply the most familiar one.
We believe the transition away from hazardous legacy chemistry in shipping is inevitable. Dominga Key intends to lead it — starting with scrubber-water treatment and expanding into adjacent marine chemistry applications as the business scales.
Our Mission
To develop and commercialise Alka Nova as the leading non-caustic alkaline solution for marine scrubber-water treatment — delivering measurable safety, operational, and environmental improvements to ship operators worldwide.
We are focused on building a commercially viable, scalable product that solves a real and pressing problem in the maritime sector — and doing so in a way that creates lasting value for operators, investors, and the marine environment.
"The future of industrial chemistry should be safer, smarter, and more sustainable — for the people who work with it and the oceans they sail."
Dominga Key LLC — Founding Principle
Our core values
Safety First
We believe that industrial chemistry should never put people at unnecessary risk. Every decision we make — from formulation to commercialisation — is guided by a commitment to reducing hazard and protecting the people who work with our products.
Purposeful Innovation
We innovate to solve real problems, not to innovate for its own sake. Alka Nova exists because there is a genuine gap in the market — and we are focused on filling it with a product that delivers measurable, practical value.
Environmental Responsibility
The maritime industry operates in and on the world's oceans. We take that responsibility seriously — developing chemistry that is not only effective but genuinely better for the marine environment and the ecosystems that depend on it.
Commercial Rigour
Good intentions are not enough. We are building a commercially viable business — one that can scale, attract investment, and deliver returns — because sustainable chemistry needs sustainable economics to succeed at global scale.
Our approach
Chemistry-Led Development
Alka Nova's formulation is built on rigorous chemistry — not a reformulation of existing products. We are developing a genuinely novel alkaline chemistry profile that delivers the required performance without the hazards of caustic soda.
Industry-Informed Design
We work closely with maritime operators, technical managers, and industry stakeholders to ensure Alka Nova is designed for the realities of shipboard operations — not just laboratory conditions. Real-world usability is a core design requirement.
Partnership-Driven Commercialisation
We are building Alka Nova for scale through strategic partnerships — with ship operators for pilot programmes, with distributors for market access, and with investors who share our conviction that sustainable marine chemistry is a compelling commercial opportunity.
What we are building
Alka Nova
A non-caustic alkaline solution for marine scrubber-water treatment. Designed as a direct functional replacement for caustic soda (NaOH) — delivering the required alkalinity for pH adjustment and washwater treatment without the extreme corrosivity, safety hazards, and logistical complexity of traditional caustic chemistry.
Future Applications
Alka Nova is our first product, but Dominga Key's longer-term vision extends to a broader portfolio of sustainable marine chemistry solutions — addressing other areas where hazardous legacy chemicals remain the default in shipping operations.
Pipeline products subject to commercial development priorities and market conditions.
Work with Dominga Key
We are actively seeking partnerships with maritime operators for pilot programmes, strategic investors who share our vision, and industry collaborators who can help bring Alka Nova to market.