Japanese Shipping Companies Awarded LCO2 Carrier Approvals

Japanese shipping companies Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Ltd. (MOL) and Nippon Yusen Kabushiki Kaisha (NYK Line) have separately announced receiving approvals for new liquefied CO2 (LCO2) carriers as progress continues in the development of new types of ships to contribute to the carbon capture, utilization, and storage value chain.

MOL, in partnership with Malaysian state oil company Petronas and the Shanghai Merchant Ship Design & Research Institute (SDARI), obtained approval in principle (AiP) for a LCO2 carrier from DNV and the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS).

The joint effort between MOL, Petronas, and SDARI also resulted in the approval for a floating storage and offloading (FSO) unit to receive, store, and offload LCO2 cargoes offshore. The carrier and FSO will help enable the efficient transport of LCO2, taking into account volume, distance, and direct transport to FSOs situated near offshore storage facilities.

Meanwhile, Mitsubishi Shipbuilding Co., a part of the Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) Group, and NYK Line have also received approval in principle (AiP) from the Japanese classification society ClassNK for a ship design capable of transporting both ammonia and LCO2. The design will allow for the transport of ammonia to power plants and CO2 from the plants to storage sites.

These recent approvals mark significant milestones in the ongoing efforts of Japanese shipping companies’ commitments to providing solutions in the carbon capture, utilization, and storage value chain, in which the maritime industry plays a critical role.

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