K Line partners with Tokyo Gas on liquefied CO2 transportation

K-Line and Tokyo Gas are to work on a joint study of liquefied carbon dioxide (CO2) marine transportation for carbon capture and storage (CCS).

The companies will carry out a simulation of marine transportation of liquefied CO2 to storage sites in Japan and in the Asian-Pacific region for CO2 emitted in the Tokyo metropolitan area, as well as study its economic efficiency and operations relating to the transportation of liquefied CO2 by ship.

The two companies plan to help achieve carbon neutrality in the Tokyo region with various types of carbon management solutions including CCS.

The Japanese government believes CCS to be one of the significant methods for achieving carbon neutrality and aims at storage of 120 to 240 million tonnes of CO2 per year in 2050.

A long-term CCS roadmap suggests that the use of the promising storage potential overseas is one strong option. This requires the liquefaction of CO2 and marine transportation of the liquefied CO2 to a place suitable for CO2 storage, according to K Line.

K Line is planning to start the world’s first full-scale carbon capture and storage transport next year.

K Line has signed charter deals for three LCO2 carriers under Northern Lights project, a joint venture involving energy giants Shell, Equinor, and TotalEnergies. The carriers combining LNG-powered propulsion with wind-assisted technology and air lubrication, are being built at China’s Dalian Shipbuilding Offshore Co. (DSOC).