World’s 1st liquid CO2 carrier intended for CCUS launched

Japanese shipbuilder Mitsubishi Shipbuilding, part of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) Group, has launched a liquefied CO2 transportation demonstration test ship intended for carbon capture, utilization and storage (CCUS).

As informed, the launching ceremony for the LCO2 carrier, dubbed the world’s first, was held at the Shimonoseki Shipyard of Mitsubishi Shipbuilding Corporation today (28 March).

Participants at the ceremony included related organisations such as the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO) and the ship’s owner, Sanyu Kisen.

In February last year, Mitsubishi Shipbuilding received an order for the construction of a demonstration test ship to transport liquefied carbon dioxide. The keel laying for the vessel took place in October 2022.

This demonstration test ship hull will be equipped with the liquefied CO2 tank system researched and developed by the Engineering Advancement Association of Japan (ENAA).

ENAA, Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha (K LINE), NGL, and Ochanomizu University will accelerate their research and development of the LCO2 transportation technology and contribute to the reduction of the cost of CCUS technology and realization of LCO2 safe large-scale long- distance transportation.

ENAA has been engaged in research and development towards the operation of a demonstration ship equipped with a liquefied carbon dioxide ship tank system, and it will continue to be responsible for the planning, analysis and supervision of the demonstration test.

Meanwhile, K LINE carried out a risk assessment of the demonstration test ship in the safety evaluation in 2022 and will contribute to the development of an operation manual for the demonstration vessels.

Additionally, NGL is proceeding with the planning of the management and operation of the demonstration vessel.

It is also conducting a case study of its own LPG vessel in preparation for the measurement of data related to the temperature, pressure, flow, etc. of the CO2 on the demonstration vessel.

Furthermore, Ochanomizu University conducts fundamental research on the control of the state of carbon dioxide (phase changes) and provide the information necessary for safe transportation studies.

After completion, the demonstration test ship will be engaged in liquefied CO2 transportation for the CCUS R&D and demonstration-related project, the large-scale CCUS demonstration in Tomakomai, the demonstration project on CO2 transportation, the R&D and demonstration project for the marine transportation of CO2, which have been conducted by NEDO since June 2021.