Sener Designs Biofuel Tanker Than Can Capture CO2 from Other Ships

Spanish engineering and technology group Sener said Thursday it had completed the conceptual design of a new sustainable biofuel tanker aimed at supplying biofuels during bunkering operations, that is also capable of capturing CO2 from other vessels.

The vessel would be able to carry heavy fuel oil (HFO), very low sulfur fuel oil (VLSFO), biofuels and marine gas oils (MGO), and also store the captured CO2 from nearby vessels.

"The new vessel has been designed to operate in compliance with the energy efficiency and emission reduction requirements of the International Maritime Organization (IMO). The design also includes different technical-economic configurations to help shipowners select the best alternative based on their priorities and needs, such as costs, ease of installation on board, or safety," Sener said.

"The design is intended to allow shipowners to choose different propulsion alternatives (conventional, diesel-electric or hybrid), as well as different types of sulfate cleaning systems (open, closed or mixed) and CO2 capture systems," Sener added.

Carbon capture

Sener said that the maritime industry must achieve more energy efficient vessels and reduce its emissions to comply with the new requirements of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and the European Union (EU) in terms of controlling greenhouse gas emissions.

"Sener's new tanker ship design features a complete emission reduction and management system made up of a CO2 capture and storage system, a selective catalytic reduction, or SCR, system (process to convert nitrogen oxides into diatomic nitrogen and water, with help from a catalyst) and a sulfate cleaning system. It is also set up to store the CO2 captured by other vessels in the vicinity, promoting the capture of this compound in the area of operations, and thus help reduce emissions locally," Sener said.