Japanese Shipbuilders Go Forward with LCO2 Carriers for Large-Scale Transport
Mitsubishi Shipbuilding, a part of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) Group and Nihon Shipyard, have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Mitsui & Co on the collaborative study for ocean-going liquified CO2 (LCO2) carriers for large-scale international transportation from 2028 onwards.
With the plans for LCO2 carries the companies aim to accommodate the carbon dioxide capture and storage (CCS) business led by Japanese government.
Utilizing the technologies and construction know-how of Mitsubishi Shipbuilding and Nihon Shipyard, the partners will work to establish the construction and production infrastructures of LCO2 carriers, and examine consistency with onshore facilities.
Demand for LCO2 carriers is expected to increase in the near future to transport captured CO2 from Japan to storage areas in various CCS projects.
According to partners, it is very important to standardize the specification and design of LCO2 carriers across each project as well as to establish a realistic production supply chain so that LCO2 carriers will be constructed and supplied stably in Japan and CCS value chain will be achieved with improved economic efficiency.
The signed MOU suggests that four companies have agreed to make a collaboration to solve these issues related to the construction of LCO2 carriers and marine transportation, starting with Japan initiated CCS projects to the Asia-Pacific region.
Mitsubishi Shipbuilding and Nihon Shipyard have already started joint study to build LCO2 carriers.
Mitsui & Co and Mitsubishi Corporation, who are now advancing business development for early launch of the CCS business, are selected as leading companies in the Japanese Advanced CCS Project by JOGMEC aiming for overseas CO2 storage.
Mitsubishi Shipbuilding also said it will actively promote the development of LCO2 carriers and establishment of CCS value chain through collaboration with various domestic/overseas companies, and also construction of demonstration ship for transport of LCO2 for New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO).
