K Line Hires CO2 Carrier Newbuilds For The World’s First Full-Scale CCS Project

Japanese shipping firm Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha (K Line) has reportedly entered into a time charter, and bareboat contract with Northern Lights JV DA to come up with two wind-assisted, 7,500 m3 liquefied CO2 vessels that are currently under construction and are now in China.

China’s Dalian Shipbuilding Industry Co. (DSIC) reportedly started the development of two LNG-operated CO2 carriers for Northern Lights, a collaborative venture of Equinor, Shell, and TotalEnergies, in November this year.

The vessels are slated for delivery in 2024. They are meant to load liquefied and captured CO2 from European emitters, including Hafslund Oslo Celsio and Norcem Brevik carbon capture facilities, and transport it to the Northern Lights receiving terminal based in Øygarden.

After being stored at the terminal, the captured CO2 a pipeline would transport for permanent storage in a geological reservoir about 2,600 meters below the seabed. The facilities are currently under construction, and the operational activities are scheduled to start in 2024. They will be able to store up to 1.5 million tons of CO2 each year to expand to more than five million tons a year in a second developmental phase.

The assignment has been reportedly described as the first-of-its-kind full-scale carbon capture and storage (CCS) value chain.
Once delivered, the vessels will be classed by DNV and will be registered in Norway. These will be operated under the flag of Norwegian (NOR) by personnel of the Norwegian shipboard.

The ships will deploy LNG as a primary fuel. They will be equipped with advanced wind-assisted propulsion systems and next-gen air lubrication technology, anticipated to lower carbon intensity by about 34% compared to traditional methods. The units are going to feature ABB’s shaft generator systems.
Following the latest agreements, K Line’s K LINE LNG Shipping (UK) Ltd. (its London-based subsidiary) will be managing the two vessels in charge of transporting liquefied CO2.

CO2 transport is a critical component that connects industrial emitters in Europe to appropriate CO2 storage sites. Shipping is a great, scalable CO2 transport solution most suited for sailing distances across Europe.

Northern Lights mentioned that coming up with a flexible shipping solution as part of the first-ever cross-border CO2 transport and storage network would yield developing a market dedicated to CO2 storage.

With increased and enhanced interest from European industrial sectors, additional storage and shipping capacity is expected to be developed as demand rises, the firm added.

K Line and Northern Lights plan to collaborate to establish improved operational procedures to ensure the safe transportation of liquefied CO2.

References: OE Digital

K Line Hires CO2 Carrier Newbuilds For The World’s First Full-Scale CCS Project appeared first on Marine Insight – The Maritime Industry Guide

Source: Maritime Shipping News