Marine energy infrastructure developer Höegh Evi and oil major Aker BP have received an approval in principle (AiP) from classification society DNV for their liquefied CO2 (LCO2) carrier design in what was described as “a significant step” in enabling the carbon capture and storage (CCS) value chain and industrial decarbonization in Europe.
The partners revealed the milestone for the next-generation LCO2 carrier, designed to transport captured CO2 “safely and cost-efficiently” from European industrial emitters to offshore sequestration sites on the Norwegian Continental Shelf (NCS), on June 5.
The vessel was developed in Norway by Höegh Evi, Aker BP, and Moss Maritime.
DNV’s review of the vessel included a comprehensive assessment of the design, including its onboard CO2 conditioning module. The LCO2 carrier is said to be the first to be reviewed under DNV’s new CO2 RECOND class notation, developed specifically for CO2 handling and conditioning.
According to Höegh Evi, this vessel is a key part of a fully integrated carbon removal option for both large and dispersed EU emitters. As explained, the design integrates CO2 conditioning and offloading capabilities directly into the shuttle carriers to minimize complexity, reduce risk of impurity co-mingling, and ensure reliable injection into offshore reservoirs. Two approved variants of CO2 vessels will offer total capacities of up to 50,000 cubic meters of liquid CO2.
Höegh Evi added that the CCS solution can be applied for the Aker BP-operated CO2 storage licenses on the NCS, EXL 005 Poseidon and EXL 011 Atlas . Initially sized to handle up to 10 million tonnes of CO2 per annum, the solution may be scaled to accommodate growing market demand, the company said.
Nils Jakob Hasle , EVP Clean Energy at Höegh Evi, commented on the approval: “This designation from DNV affirms the strength of our technical solution, which is key to realizing Höegh Evi and Aker BP’s unique CCS offering . Together, we can deliver a cost-efficient path to decarbonization, by connecting large-scale carbon emitters to permanent storage offshore .”
Ørjan Jentoft , Asset Manager for CCS at Aker BP, stated: “ We are excited to leverage Aker BP’s extensive upstream expertise to mature and develop CO₂ storage solutions on the Norwegian Continental Shelf. We appreciate the integrated and collaborative efforts with Höegh Evi in the development of the CCS value chain. This innovative design with designation from DNV is expected to set new benchmarks in safe, cost-efficient, and sustainable large-scale CO₂ transportation and storage .”