HMM all set to test onboard carbon capture system on a 2,200 TEU boxship

South Korean shipping company HMM is ready to conduct operational testing of its onboard carbon capture system (OCCS) on a 2,200 TEU containership.

OCCS, a technology designed to capture CO2 during vessel operation and prevent its release into the atmosphere, will be trialed on 2014-built HMM Mongla, HMM said in a brief social media update on July 3.

The operational testing follows a feasibility study with Samsung Heavy Industry (SHI), Korean Register, and PANASIA.

Back in 2022, HMM signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with energy system expert PANASIA to collaborate on an onboard carbon capture system for vessel application.

Following the MoU, the companies carried out a feasibility study, economic analysis, and risk assessment of capturing CO2 from greenhouse gas emissions generated during vessel operation. The handling process of captured CO2 was also one of the vital areas of the study.

In April 2023, HMM said the study revealed that OCCS could be installed without changing the existing equipment of the ship and does not hinder the stability of vessel operation. The collected carbon becomes liquefied in a pressurized tank and can be used for manufacturing dry ice or smart farm on land.

Onboard carbon capture systems are getting under the spotlight as they are believed to have a major potential in reducing CO2 emissions. Their attractiveness hinges on the fact that shipowners would be able to cut their CO2 footprint in a relatively shorter time frame when compared to switching to alternative fuels.