‘World’s first’ ship with full-scale onboard CCS ready for pilot testing

Following a turnkey carbon capture and storage (CCS) retrofit by Singaporean shipbuilding group Seatrium, Clipper Eris, the ethylene carrier owned by Norwegian player Solvang, is set to commence pilot testing as “the world’s first” ship equipped with a full-scale carbon capture facility.

The full-scale CCS retrofit of the 21,289 cubic meter ethylene carrier is a joint initiative by Solvang, Seatrium, technology provider Wärtsilä, German engine maker MAN Energy Solutions, and the research institute SINTEF.

Enova-backed project involves retrofitting a 7 MW Wärtsilä CCS system, which is expected to capture 70% of CO2 emissions from the main engine by using amine cleaning technology, onto Solvang’s Clipper Eris. It includes the entire value chain for handling CO2, including liquefaction and storage onboard the vessel.

Seatrium’s scope of work includes basic design, detailed engineering, procurement, upgrading of electrical and automation systems, as well as the integration of a carbon capture and compression/storage system.

Under the agreement from early 2024, the ship has spent the past few months in dry dock for a full retrofit and the project team gathered in Singapore on January 16, 2025, to present the project.

The vessel is scheduled to leave the docks at Seatrium’s Admiralty yard in early February for pilot testing, marking “an important milestone” in this project.

As reported previously, the technology will be piloted onboard the vessel over a year while it is operating commercially. If the pilot project is successful, Solvang intends to install the technology on more vessels, including newbuilds scheduled for delivery by 2026-2027.

“Onboard carbon capture combined with existing cleaning technology is a significant shortcut to decarbonization of the world’s deep-sea fleet. This stands out as one of the more promising solutions for future vessels,” said Edvin Endresen, CEO of Solvang ASA. 

“CO2 can be recycled and used in land-based industries, but the global infrastructure for discharge for shipping needs to be developed fast. In addition, IMO must implement global regulations with benefits and penalty schemes for achieving the set goals. Predictability is necessary for the industry to invest in solutions for reducing CO2 emissions.”