ABB to maximize fuel efficiency on world’s first CO2 carriers

Due for delivery in 2024, the two vessels will support the Northern Lights carbon capture and storage (CCS) project by transporting greenhouse gas from industrial emitters to an onshore terminal in Øygarden, Norway.

From there, the CO2 will be delivered by pipeline to dedicated reservoirs 2,600 meters under the seabed in the North Sea for permanent storage. Each of the 130-meter ships will be able to carry up to 7,500 cubic meters of liquefied CO2 in purpose-built pressurised cargo tanks.

ABB’s magnet shaft generator system will increase the fuel efficiency of these vessels, reducing emissions as a result. Combining this technology with variable speed engines allows harvesting power for all onboard systems through the rotating force of the shaft, significantly improving performance compared to a traditional setup with fixed speed engines.

ABB announced in June 2022 that it will also deliver the main electrical, automation and safety systems for the Northern Lights project, enabling the remote operation of the terminal and ensuring that the facility runs at optimum efficiency.

Northern Lights, a joint venture between Equinor, Shell and Total, is the first CCS project to develop an open and flexible infrastructure to store CO2 from industries across Europe.

The first phase of the project is due to be completed mid-2024 and will have the capacity to permanently store up to 1.5 million tons of CO2 per year, with the ambition to expand to over five million tons annually in a second phase.

Transporting captured emissions by ships will be key to the success of the Northern Lights project, paving the way for further developments to help accelerate decarbonization in heavy industry sectors

said Rune Braastad, Global Business Line Manager, Marine Systems at ABB Marine & Ports.