MHI to Build LCO2 Test Ship for Carbon Capture and Storage Projects

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) has announced plans to construct a first-of-its kind ship to demonstrate the transportation of liquefied carbon dioxide (LCO2) specifically for carbon capture and storage (CCUS) initiatives.

The ship will be built at MHI’s Shimonoseki Shipyard & Machinery Works for Sanyu Kisen Co. with delivery planned for the second half of the 2023.

The Engineering Advancement Association of Japan (ENAA), one of the entities in the demonstration project, will charter the ship from Sanyu Kisen.

Although ships to carry LCO2 used in the food industry have previously been constructed and operated in Europe and Japan, this new ship is believed to be the the world’s first LCO2 carrier intended specifically for carbon capture, utilization and storage.

Mitsubishi Shipbuilding, a Yokohama-based unit of MHI, will be in charge of all aspects from the ship design through construction, including the cargo containment system and gas handling technologies.

CCUS is expected to play an important role in the global decarbonization initiatives, but with just under 30 commercial CCUS projects in operation as of 2021, more CCUS are need to meet net zero targets, according to the International Energy Agency.

The demonstrations and subsequent research and development will be conducted as part of Japan’s New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization, specifically the ”CCUS R&D and Demonstration Related Project / Large-scale CCUS Demonstration in Tomakomai / Demonstration Project on CO2 Transportation / R&D and Demonstration Project for CO2 Marine Transportation” initiative.