Carbon Destroyer 1 marks EU CCS milestone

Once operational, Carbon Destroyer 1 will shuttle liquefied CO2 from Esbjerg to the Nini West offshore platform, where it will be injected nearly 1,800 metres below the seabed into the Nini reservoir. These depleted hydrocarbon fields have safely contained gas and oil for millennia and have been certified for long-term CO2 storage following DNV verification of the pilot injection’s integrity earlier this year.

Project Greensand’s final investment decision (FID), taken in December 2024 by INEOS alongside Harbour Energy and Nordsøfonden, provided the financial backing for this integrated value chain. The FID anticipated an initial capacity of 400,000 tonnes per annum, expandable to 8M tonnes per annum by 2030, supported by capital commitments exceeding US$150M across vessels, terminals and injection facilities.

The real-world commissioning phase will begin with sea trials and technical trials of the vessel, focusing on integrated loading operations, cargo boil-off control and emergency response. Concurrent validation of Esbjerg’s cryogenic transfer systems will ensure 24/7 operations. Commercial-scale offshore injection is planned for late 2025 or early 2026, establishing Denmark as the EU hub for permanent carbon storage.

By demonstrating a maritime ‘virtual pipeline’ between industrial emitters and subsurface reservoirs, Carbon Destroyer 1 overcomes limitations of road and rail transport, reducing emissions and costs while enabling scalable CCS. The modular design allows seasonal adjustments and incremental service expansion without major refits, offering flexibility for multiple European capture sites.

“The completion of all sections of the CO2 vessel is a giant step forward for transportation of CO2 in the EU”

Project Greensand’s approach, combining proven maritime design with certified geological storage, provides actionable data for policymakers, investors, and regulators. It moves beyond speculative technology, focusing on operational realities and risk-managed deployment. The carrier’s forthcoming voyages and the terminal’s completion will generate performance metrics vital to replicating the model at other North Sea nations with suitable reservoirs.

As Europe strives to meet ambitious decarbonisation targets in energy-intensive sectors, Carbon Destroyer 1 stands as a blueprint for negative-emissions logistics. Its entry into service will validate maritime CO2 shipping, potentially prompting investment in new carriers, inland terminals and regional injection clusters. Greensand’s success may well catalyse a network of permanent storage hubs, offering industrial emitters a reliable route to net zero.

With Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s emphasis that CCS is “a far better way to decarbonise Europe without its deindustrialisation” and Mads Gade’s confidence in completing “Europe’s first full CCS value chain”, the initiative advances from feasibility to operational reality, offering a tangible route for Europe’s carbon management strategy.

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