ABS, Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering  and GasLog are joining forces to lead the development of carbon neutral shipping.

The three companies have committed to work together to develop an onboard CO₂ capture and storage system  by signing a joint development project at the Posidonia International Shipping Exhibition.

This emissions reduction technology returns CO₂ from the exhaust gas back to the ship for storage by the process of absorption, regeneration and separation. The stored CO_2, as a form of byproduct, can then be safely offloaded to shoreside facilities after entering port.

The three companies will collaborate on the design of an optimal OCCS for an LNG carrier to be built by DSME and verify the system through various risk analysis and tests before installation and operation. At the same time the project will seek to obtain ABS approval in principle (AIP) for the OCCS system. OCCS joint development is intended to be complete by the first quarter of 2023. ABS will guide the rules and regulations for OCCS development and provide technical advice and support. In particular, ABS will conduct a series of risk assessments and supervise the assessment procedure for the final AIP for this technology.

DSME received an order for four LNG carriers from GasLog last year. These vessels are scheduled to be delivered sequentially from the first half of 2024. The actual installation of OCCS on the LNG carrier is targeted to coincide with construction. GasLog will undertake the technical requirements for the installation and operation of OCCS. They will also provide valuable ship management know-how necessary for OCCS design evaluation.

“Carbon capture onboard is going to be a critical technology in the industry’s push for net zero. We are proud to be able to use our insight into OCCS to support these industry leaders with this landmark project, which promises to materially advance the adoption of this technology at sea,” said John McDonald, ABS Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer.

Mr. Karathanos, GasLog COO said: “Strong collaborations with industry leaders such as DSME and ABS is a key enabler to decarbonizing shipping. At GasLog we firmly believe that onboard carbon capture will become one of the main methods to reduce emissions from shipping and contribute to keeping global temperature increase to 1.5 degrees Celsius.”

A spokesperson for DSME said: “We are pleased to establish a place for environment-friendly technical cooperation in Greece, which is one of our biggest customers in the shipbuilding industry.”