THE GLOBAL Centre for Maritime Decarbonisation has issued an invitation-for-proposal to evaluate the safety, technical and operational requirements for offloading shipboard captured carbon dioxide during port calls.
The outcomes of this study will enable the offloading of liquefied carbon dioxide from shipboard capture systems.
In early October, the GCMD, the Oil and Gas Climate Initiative (OGCI) and Stena Bulk launched Project REMARCCABLE (Realising Maritime Carbon Capture to demonstrate the Ability to Lower Emissions) — a project aimed at demonstrating end-to-end shipboard carbon capture at scale.
Together with Alfa Laval, ABS, Deltamarin and TNO, the seven-member consortium initiated the first stage of a two-year, three-phase project to investigate on-board capture and storage, as well as offloading of captured carbon dioxide to address the challenges and opportunities of deploying carbon capture technologies on ships.
To accelerate the implementation of shipboard carbon capture and to enable the piloting phase of Project REMARCCABLE, GCMD has issued the invitation for proposal to study how best to offload captured carbon dioxide in the form of liquefied carbon dioxide to shortlisted engineering consultants and classification societies.
The scope of the invitation encompasses the offloading process of liquefied carbon dioxide captured onboard tankers, bulkers and container liners at different temperatures and pressures for transfer to different receptacles, including liquefied carbon dioxide-receiving vessels and intermediary storage sites, in ship-to-ship, ship-to-shore (cassette/tank) and ship-to-floating storage configurations.
Since the goal of the study is to assess possibilities and outline detailed procedures for offloading captured carbon dioxide to shore and ship storage facilities in major ports, existing policy and regulation regimes that may prevent or enable this exercise will need to be taken into consideration. Once the evaluation of submitted proposals is concluded, GCMD expects to make one award in the second quarter of 2023.
GCMD CEO Professor Lynn Loo said the organisation views shipboard carbon capture as an important mid-term technological solution that can help reduce shipping’s GHG emissions.
“For shipboard carbon capture technologies to be operationally feasible, the industry needs to develop a value chain for the captured carbon dioxide,” Ms Loo said.
“Whilst IMO has no firm position on the use of carbon capture systems to reduce GHG emissions, the topic is up for discussion at the upcoming MEPC meeting this month. Our study will contribute to the emerging body of knowledge around the complexities of shipboard carbon capture. And the outcomes of this study will specifically inform sea trials aboard Stena Bulk’s identified MR Tanker as part of phase three of Project REMARCCABLE”.
GCMD’s liquefied carbon dioxide offloading study is expected to complete within nine months.
Thereafter, GCMD said it would inform the industry of its findings, including design considerations that stakeholders, such as port and terminal operators, vessel owners and shipyards, will need to factor in when deploying shipboard carbon capture systems at scale.
