In a pioneering feat of engineering, Northern Lights, a joint venture company of energy giants Shell, Equinor, and TotalEnergies, shared a new milestone in the construction of the company’s liquefied CO2 (LCO2) carriers.

The company’s first two vessels have been installed with custom-built 7,500 cubic meters cargo tanks. The vessels’ pressurized cargo tanks are designed for the transportation of liquefied CO2, contributing to a reduced carbon intensity compared to conventional alternatives.

“The tanks were delivered by Jiangsu Watts Energy & Engineering and represent a major milestone in the development of the Northern Lights CO2 shipping fleet that will transport CO2 from our customers in Norway and Europe for permanent storage on the Norwegian Continental Shelf,” Northern Lights JV said in an update on social media.

The construction of the first-of-their-kind vessels is well underway at China’s Dalian Shipbuilding Offshore Co. (DSOC) and the ships are on track to set sail in 2024.

The shipyard launched the construction of the two LNG-powered, wind-assisted CO2 carriers in November 2022, only to surpass the 60% completion mark a year later. The ships are expected to have around 34% lower carbon footprint compared to conventional ships running on marine fuel. 

Source: offshore-energy.biz