Port of Immingham to get CO₂ import terminal

The Associated British Ports (ABP) has entered into an exclusive commercial relationship with Edinburgh–based oil and gas company Harbour Energy to develop a CO₂ import terminal at the Port of Immingham, the UK’s largest port by tonnage.

The terminal will provide a large-scale facility to connect CO₂ emissions from industrial businesses around the UK to Viking CCS’s high-capacity CO₂ storage sites in the Southern North Sea.

Viking CCS development concept plans to transport CO₂ along a newly constructed pipeline from Immingham to Theddlethorpe. The project will reuse the existing 120-kilometre LOGGS pipeline to transport the CO₂ offshore to the Viking Fields.

ABP joins West Burton Energy, Phillips 66 and VPI as partners to the Viking CCS network, which is targeting first CO₂ capture as early as 2027 and a reduction of 10 million tonnes of UK emissions per annum by 2030.

ABP’s investment plans for new infrastructure at the port include a jetty to service the import and export handling of liquid bulk products. In addition to handling green ammonia, the jetty is being designed to import liquified CO₂ cargoes and will connect to the Viking CCS transport and storage sites.

This project is expected to drive inward investment to the Humber and Lincolnshire regions, create local jobs in the Humber region, and safeguard industrial jobs across the UK in line with the UK’s net zero emissions targets.

“We are delighted to welcome Associated British Ports (ABP) as a partner to the Viking CCS network through their investment in the Port of Immingham,” Steve Cox, EVP HSES and Global Services of Harbour Energy, commented.

“ABP’s dual-purpose jetty will support the reduction in the UK’s emissions and, critically, amplifies the Viking CCS network’s potential to provide a viable solution for stranded CO₂ emissions from companies across the UK.”

Henrik L. Pedersen, ABP’s Chief Executive Officer, said that the project represents a critical step in further strengthening the Port of Immingham’s position at the epicentre of the UK decarbonisation agenda.

“Our ports on the Humber already play a vital role in supporting the UK’s energy transition, with involvement in a wide range of renewable energy projects such as offshore wind at Green Port Hull and the development of large-scale green hydrogen production in Immingham. We are also making significant investments to support the renewable energy transformation of Port Talbot to help deliver the UK’s ambition for floating offshore wind in the Celtic Sea,” Pedersen said.

ABP is also working with industrial gases company Air Products to bring the first large-scale green hydrogen facility to the Port of Immingham.

The facility would import green ammonia from production locations operated by Air Products and its partners around the world. This would be used to produce green hydrogen, aiming to decarbonise hard-to-abate sectors such as transport and industry.

Construction of the jetty is expected to begin in late 2024 and the terminal is expected to be operational and ready to receive first cargoes of CO₂ imports from 2027.