MOL to study LCO2 transport by ship in Japan

Japanese shipping company Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL) has been chosen to conduct a study on the use of ships to transport liquefied CO2 (LCO2) for a carbon capture and storage (CCS) project off the coast of western Kyushu, Japan.

PHOTO: A computer-generated image of MOL’s LCO2 carrier. MOL

Under the contract, the company will carry out a feasibility study focused on evaluating vessels for CO2 transport and identifying key risks in LCO2 transportation, with the aim of starting a domestic CCS value chain in Japan by 2030.

This study is commissioned by the Japan Organization for Metals and Energy Security (JOGMEC). Other project partners include West Japan Carbon Dioxide Storage Survey, ENEOS Corporation, Electric Power Development (J-Power), and JX Nippon Oil & Gas Exploration Corporation.

The project will capture CO2 emissions from ENEOS refineries and J-Power thermal power plants in the Seto Inland Sea and Kyushu regions, transporting and storing the CO2 in marine saline aquifers off western Kyushu, with a planned storage capacity of 1.7 million mt/year.

Before this contract, MOL conducted an initial study on the voyage plan for a liquefied CO2 carrier, estimated marine transport costs, and identified risks related to low-temperature and low-pressure transport.

E-methanol produced from captured carbon and green hydrogen can be used as a shipping fuel.

By Tuhin Roy

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