SHI, BASF to study carbon capture onboard ships

South Korean shipbuilding major Samsung Heavy Industries has teamed up with German chemical producer BASF on a collaborative feasibility assessment of capturing CO₂ onboard maritime vessels.

Under the Memorandum of Understanding for Onboard Carbon Capture and Storage (OCCS) technology, signed at the trade show Gastech 2022 in Milan, Italy, the duo plans to test the use of BASF’s OASE^® blue technology for flue gas applications.

The scope of the collaboration includes a marinization study as well as engineering design and construction of the carbon capture unit.

 BASF will support the study with its expertise in floating liquefied natural gas and its OASE blue technology, while SHI will evaluate the feasibility of installing the gas treatment technology onboard maritime vessels.

At the beginning of this year, SHI revealed an approval in principle (AiP) for its newly developed onboard carbon capture and storage applicable to LNG-fueled vessels.

The technology was developed together with the compatriot company for eco-friendly marine applications Panasia. They have been working on this CCS technology since 2020. Samsung is conducting a technology performance test at a demonstration facility by Panasia in Jinhae, South Gyeongsang Province.

“Through cooperation with BASF, Samsung Heavy Industries has developed an efficient Onboard Carbon Capture system, which will help gain a competitive advantage in a low carbon shipping market,” said Youngkyu Ahn, Head of Shipbuilding Sales Engineering at Samsung Heavy Industries.

Last month, Samsung launched a feasibility study of a full value chain related to CO2 capture, transport, and storage with several partners including Malaysian oil and gas company Petronas, construction and project management firm Samsung Engineering Co., as well as energy majors SK Earthon, SK Energy, GS Energy Corporation, and chemical company Lotte Chemical Co. 

It has been a busy week for the shipbuilder, having secured approvals for the design of a 20,000 cbm liquefied hydrogen carrier and ammonia-ready VLGC design.