Signing ceremony for the ships Photo: Courtesy of China State Shipbuilding Corporation

 
Dalian Shipbuilding Industry, a subsidiary of China State Shipbuilding Corporation, has won a contract for the construction of two 7,500 cubic meter liquefied carbon dioxide carrier ships for Northern Lights, a Norwegian carbon capture and storage project.

The ships will be the first of their kind in the world, and will also be the largest liquefied carbon dioxide carriers for marine carbon transportation and storage.

The contract not only signifies that the Chinese company is making progress in the large-scale new energy gas ship market, but also that it is supporting the reduction of carbon dioxide emissions in Europe. 

The ships will be about 130 meters long and 21.2 meters wide, with a structural draft of 8 meters. The first ship is scheduled to be delivered in the first quarter of 2024.

The advanced technology of the ships can greatly reduce emission levels and improve the energy-saving effect. They will also include the world's first full-pressure C-type liquid cargo tank made of special materials. 

The main engine is equipped with two fuels, liquefied natural gas and marine light diesel, and the emission levels of marine sulfur oxides and nitrogen oxides meet the most stringent requirements.

After construction, the ships will be used in the European carbon dioxide capture and storage program to collect carbon dioxide produced by some industries in Europe and transport it to the carbon dioxide receiving terminal on the west coast of Norway for processing before injecting it into the seabed for permanent storage at 2,600 meters underground.

Global Times