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Floating storage and injection unit enters CO2 shipping
Floating storage and injection units are proposed as flexible offshore CO2 injection solutions, with Yinson, K Line and Provaris advancing tank designs and carrier concepts
Yinson Production, K Line Energy Shipping and Provaris Energy are positioning floating storage and injection units (FSIUs) as a new element in the emerging carbon capture and storage (CCS) supply chain. An FSIU is a floating facility designed to receive liquefied CO2 from carriers, store it temporarily and inject it into offshore geological formations for permanent sequestration. The concept offers advantages where onshore land is constrained or where industrial clusters are distant from storage reservoirs, removing the need for long, costly pipelines. By providing offshore injection capability, FSIUs can extend the reach of CCS to more emitters and broaden the options for industrial decarbonisation.
Yinson Production and K Line Energy Shipping have agreed to jointly develop and market FSIUs alongside new large-scale liquefied CO2 (LCO2) carriers. Yinson, headquartered in Singapore with operations in Oslo, said the partnership would “combine our FPSO and offshore engineering expertise with K Line’s proven CO2 shipping capabilities” to support European CCS projects.
European application
The Havstjerne CCS project in Norway is one of the first potential applications being considered. The project involves offshore storage of captured CO2, and Yinson and K Line have said the FSIU model could complement pipeline-based solutions by enabling injection at sea.
At the Riviera CO2 Shipping, Terminals & CCS Conference in Milan, K Line Energy Shipping’s Shinichiro Saigusa told delegates: “We see FSIUs as a realistic option where pipelines are impractical, particularly in regions where industrial clusters are distant from storage reservoirs.” His comments underlined the potential of the concept to connect capture sites with offshore reservoirs more flexibly.
“Global CO2 emissions from energy combustion and industrial processes of 37.8Bn tonnes in 2024”
Speaking at the same event, Yinson Production’s Tor-Ivar Guttulsrød told the Milan audience: “Our aim is to ensure these units can be deployed in a variety of offshore contexts, not just as one-off designs.”
Tank development
Provaris Energy has been developing tank technology in parallel with Yinson. The company has completed the Phase 2 design stage for a large-scale LCO2 tank and submitted the design to a classification society for preliminary approval. A front-end engineering design phase is due to commence in the third quarter of 2025, after which Provaris Energy and Yinson plan to form a joint venture to oversee commercialisation.
Provaris Energy chief technology officer Per Roed said in a press release that: “The successful completion of the Phase 2 Design Stage, coupled with the planned establishment of a joint venture company between Provaris and Yinson, provides the focus and strategic alignment in our collaborative efforts.”
According to Provaris Energy, the joint venture will own the intellectual property associated with the tank designs, with licensing revenues targeted across maritime, offshore and land-based storage applications from 2026.
Market dynamics
The market case is being shaped by regulatory and industrial demand. Provaris Energy’s June 2025 investor presentation reported global CO2 emissions from energy combustion and industrial processes of 37.8Bn tonnes in 2024. The EU has directed 44 oil and gas producers to establish 50M tonnes per annum of storage capacity by 2030, a target expected to require shipping and offshore injection given the limited availability of pipeline infrastructure.
Provaris Energy cited Clarksons Green Transition Group analysis projecting that CCS capacity is to rise from 62M tonnes in 2024 to 270M tonnes in 2030. This implies demand for a new fleet of LCO2 carriers beyond today’s 7,500–22,000-m³ designs. The company has also been in discussions with Asian shipowners interested in 40,000-m³ carriers, where larger capacities are considered necessary to lower unit costs. Analysts have suggested that over the period to 2050, the large-scale carrier market could number in the hundreds.
Engineering challenges
Preliminary class approval for the new tank design is still pending. Provaris Energy has been working on multi-layered steel tank technology since 2019, originally for compressed hydrogen and more recently for liquid CO2. A prototype multilayered tank has been fabricated to qualify the use of robotics and laser welding procedures. The transition from gaseous hydrogen at high pressure to liquid CO2 at lower pressure but greater density has required additional stiffness and structural capability in the design.
“That CCS capacity is to rise from 62M tonnes in 2024 to 270M tonnes in 2030”
Provaris Energy explained that the tanks are arranged for support on saddles in both FSIUs and carriers, a configuration familiar from existing Type-C tanks but needing adaptation for larger diameters. The company said its layered design approach allows fabrication of larger tanks than can be produced cost-effectively using conventional single-plate methods.
Broader opportunities
Beyond the Havstjerne project, Provaris Energy said it is examining additional opportunities in Europe and Asia. While not all CCS projects require marine transport, several are considering barge-based or hub-injection models that would also need new LCO2 tonnage.
Mr Saigusa stressed that flexibility would be essential: “The shipping sector must accommodate a variety of end-user requirements, whether through direct injection solutions or shuttle-type carrier operations.” His observation was echoed by Mr Guttulsrød’s call for scalable, repeatable designs capable of serving multiple projects.
Outlook
The FSIU concept represents an evolution of offshore engineering approaches developed in the oil and gas sector. By adapting floating production experience to CO2 management, Yinson, K Line and Provaris Energy are aiming to address a gap in the CCS chain: connecting emitters with offshore reservoirs without reliance on land-based pipelines.
With regulatory targets approaching and classification milestones pending, the next phase will determine when FSIUs and large LCO2 carriers can proceed from concept into deployment.
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