Capital Maritime orders world's largest LCO2 carriers

HMD parent company HD Korea Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering (HD KSOE) announced it had won an order to build two of "the world’s largest liquefied carbon dioxide carriers". The vessels will be dual-fuel and capable of running on ammonia. 

The KRW179Bn (US$141.5M) order was signed on 19 July with Capital Maritime Group, the company said. Each of the US$70.8M vessels are to be 160-m long, 27-m wide, 18-m tall and will be capable of transporting LPG and ammonia in addition to LCO2, according to HD KSOE.

Capital Gas Shipmanagement Corporation confirmed the order in an email to Riviera Maritime Media, saying the "two first-ever, state-of-the-art 22,000-cbm LCO2 carriers" are to be delivered in 2025-2026.

"The company expects the maritime transportation of CO2 to become a rapidly growing market, in which it aims to hold the premier position. These trailblazing vessels are designed to carry up to 22,000 cubic meters of liquified CO2 at -55 degrees Celsius, making them unparalleled in terms of capacity and functionality, while also boasting the capability to transport ammonia and LPG, setting a new standard in trading flexibility. They are also equipped with numerous energy-saving devices and have been prepared among others for LNG and other alternative propulsion fuels, while they are carbon capture and AMP (cold ironing) ready," Capital Gas said in the statement.

HD KSOE quoted an official as saying the shipbuilder expects further orders for large and extra-large LCO2 carriers and is seeking to mark itself out as a leader in the vessel segment.

“We will lead the market in this field based on pre-emptive efforts in technological development,” the HD KSOE official said.

The Global CCS Institute, a research institute in the field of carbon capture and storage, forecast that, as decarbonisation policies are accelerated around the world, the carbon capture and storage market will grow by more than 30% annually, and the global carbon capture market will reach 7.6Bn tonnes in 2050. Demand for LCO2 carriers, which will play a key role in transporting captured carbon dioxide by sea, is expected to increase accordingly, HD KSOE said.

At September 2022’s Gastech trade show, HD KSOE revealed designs for 74,000-m³, 40,000-m³, and 30,000-m³ LCO2 carriers classed by the American Bureau of Shipping and Lloyd’s Register and has since received approval in principle on the designs from the flag state of Liberia.