Japanese companies Nippon Yusen Kabushiki Kaisha (NYK), its group company Knutsen NYK Carbon Carriers (KNCC), and JFE Shoji Corporation (JFE Shoji) have completed a feasibility study confirming production facilities, production capacity, and the costs for steel materials used for the manufacturing of LCO2-EP cargo tanks.
Based on the memorandum of understanding on strategic partnership for CO2 capture and storage signed in March of this year, the three companies have been studying the establishment of a stable and large-volume supply network for the tanks.
According to the partners, the tanks may be used as LCO2 carrier cargo tanks and onshore temporary storage tanks required for LCO2 transportation using the elevated pressure (EP) mode. The companies now have a clear prospect of establishing a stable supply of steel materials within the Asian region, NYK noted.
The tanks are made of “versatile carbon steel” and can be produced using automatic welding machines at existing large-diameter steel pipe manufacturing facilities, “making it possible to establish large-scale manufacturing and supply systems with a short delivery time” , according to NYK.
As disclosed, NYK will study the entire CCS business supply chain, including the transportation of the tank. The company will also study the feasibility of the CCS value chain by examining LCO2 transport vessels and conducting cost and operation simulations for ocean transportation.
Meanwhile, KNCC, which possesses technology related to LCO2 transportation at EP, has developed this tank, and a patent application for it has been filed. The firm will conduct simulations and study the feasibility of a CCS value chain.
JFE Shoji will contribute to the establishment of a supply chain by supplying steel products necessary for the manufacture of the tanks, using “its knowledge of steel peripheral businesses and its domestic and overseas networks” .
To remind, NYK recently announced that it has partnered with Nihon Shipyard to conduct a joint constructability study of a 40,000 cubic meter terminal-to-terminal liquefied CO2 (LCO2) vessel.