DSME Completes In-Service Verification of Onboard Carbon Capture

Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering completed the verification process for carbon dioxide capture and storage technology aboard an in-service LNG carrier. The test is part of the Korean shipyard’s efforts to develop technologies to advance its position as a leader in eco-friendly ships.

Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering has been jointly developing since 2020 the onboard carbon capture system (OCCS) with Hi Air Korea, a domestic shipbuilding equipment company. DSME reports that it now holds 42 domestic and foreign patents related to the technology.

The system was recently mounted on the LNG carrier to test the continuous process of absorption, regeneration, and mineralization of carbon dioxide contained in the exhaust gases of the vessel.

The OCCS technology, verified by Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering, absorbs some of the carbon dioxide in the exhaust gas generated during ship operation through an aqueous sodium hydroxide (NaOH) solution, which is an absorbent and converts it into a mineral, and the absorbent is regenerated and reused in the carbon dioxide absorption process. The carbon dioxide captured in this process can be stored in the form of minerals and unloaded on land after entering the port, or discharged to the ocean according to the results of the marine environmental impact assessment currently being carried out.

According to the companies, the system consumes very little energy compared to other carbon dioxide capture technologies, and the amount of additional carbon dioxide generated by equipment operation is relatively small. One of the benefits is the system is the relatively small which they believe makes it well-suited for onboard operations.

DSME is also conducting a Joint Development Project with Gaslog, a Greek shipping company, and ABS in the U.S. to apply OCCS to ships currently under construction.  The shipyard expects to incorporate the technology into four newbuild LNG carriers ordered by GasLog in 2021. The new vessels are scheduled for delivery in 2024 and 2025.

This test is the latest in a series of efforts to deploy onboard carbon capture. Last year, K Line working with Mitsubishi demonstrated a carbon capture system on one of its vessels while other projects are also in development. The U.S.-based start-up Carbon Ridge has drawn support from Scorpio Tankers, Berge Bulk and Crowley for its technology while scrubber companies including Wartsila are working to incorporate carbon capture into their current systems. Wartsila and Solvang plan to test a system on a ethylene carrier. Initially viewed as a technology suited to large industrial applications on shore, carbon capture aboard ships is drawing increasing attention and as a possible application for in-service vessels.