NYK and partners to study construction of LCO2-EP terminal-to-terminal vessels

Japanese shipping company NYK Line and its affiliate Knutsen NYK Carbon Carriers (KNCC) have partnered with compatriot Nihon Shipyard to conduct a joint constructability study of a 40,000 cubic meter terminal-to-terminal liquefied CO2 (LCO2) vessel.

Aiming to contribute to the establishment of a carbon capture and storage (CCS) value chain, the partners will explore building the 40,000 cbm terminal-to-terminal LCO2 vessel based on KNCC’s proprietary technology of LCO2-Elevated Pressure (LCO2-EP) cargo tanks.

The LCO2-EP cargo tanks obtained general approval for ship application (GASA) in 2023 from classIfication society DNV.

For this joint study, NYK will develop an overall policy and evaluate constructability and appropriateness while KNCC will provide technical and regulatory expertise on the LCO2-EP vessel.

Nihon Shipyard, a joint venture between Japan Marine United Corporation (JMU) and Imabari Shipbuilding, will be tasked with studying the construction of the LCO2-EP vessel from a shipyard perspective.

Tsutomu Yokoyama, Executive Officer, NYK, said: “This joint study with NSY will be another key milestone for us as it will provide the capability through KNCC to offer LCO₂-EP marine transportation service in addition to MP and LP. We will continue to study the establishment of a system for the construction of LCO₂-EP vessels to support the development of CCS projects globally.”

Oliver Hagen-Smith, CEO of KNCC, commented: “We are pleased to announce a joint study with NSY on constructability of LCO₂-EP terminal-to-terminal vessels. The innovative design of the LCO₂-EP Cargo Tanks features vertical cylinders that can be mass-produced through automated processes using standard materials. This may optimize and reduce the construction time.

“The modular design potentially allows more shipyards to participate, utilizing existing facilities and infrastructure, which broadens industry engagement and enhances efficiency. We are confident that this study will bring significant benefits in cost-effectiveness, quality, and scalability to the maritime construction sector.”

Earlier this year, KNCC also signed a joint study agreement with China’s COSCO Shipping Heavy Industry to assess market readiness and detail design development for LCO2 carriers based on LCO2-EP technology.

Specifically, the vessel concept for this study will focus on a direct injection offshore (DIO) vessel that many carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) projects, especially in the North Sea area, are looking into.