First of Its Kind LCO2 Barge Design Approved for U.S. Operation

ABS awarded approval in principle (AiP) to Overseas Shipholding Group, Inc. (OSG), the parent company of Aptamus Carbon Solutions, for its preliminary design of a liquefied carbon dioxide (LCO2) barge.

The development of the barge design is a core component of the Tampa Regional Intermodal Carbon Hub (T-RICH) project to receive, store and process emissions from Florida industries for transport to regional sequestration sites.

The articulated tug and barge unit (ATB) is a first-of-its-kind to service carbon capture projects in the U.S. The cargo handling system design is based on medium pressure LCO2 Type-C tanks and is capable of transporting 20,000 mt of cargo. Maximum operating pressure has been determined by track record studies and market trends, and with consideration of loading capacity and holding time.

ABS completed design reviews based on class requirements, specifically including the latest ABS requirements for building and classing liquefied gas tank barges.

Jeffrey Ross Williams, Aptamus President, said: “This ABS AiP is another big step in our journey to lead the U.S. maritime industry in designing the technology required for success in our nation’s emission reduction goals and in pursuing new and expanding business opportunities in the global energy transition.”

Kent Merrill, Aptamus Vice President of Marine Projects, said: “Articulated tugs and barges (ATBs) are popular and effective in the U.S. for the carriage of petroleum products for several reasons, and those advantages hold true for LCO2 vessels as well. We look forward to the continued detailed development of the design, including designing the tug to utilize green methanol or other green fuels and technologies. We thank ABS for their valued partnership on this project, as well as other engineering contributors like Corban Energy Group and Herbert Engineering Corporation.”