The first large-capacity vessel built to transport, store, and enable the reuse of carbon dioxide has entered service, marking the emergence of a shipping segment focused on carbon management logistics.
The 22,000 cubic metres (m³) ship can carry liquefied CO2 (LCO2) as well as LPG, ammonia, and select petrochemicals, allowing operators to switch trades as market conditions change.
Greece-based Capital Maritime Group is leading the initiative through its platform, Capital Clean Energy Carriers, which targets the growing carbon capture, utilisation, and storage (CCUS) shipping market.
The company initially ordered two ships from South Korea’s Hyundai Mipo Dockyard in July 2023, later expanding the series to four.
Each vessel measures roughly 525 feet and features a semi-refrigerated gas cargo system, designed to adapt to shifting market dynamics.
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The first vessel, Active (27,926 deadweight tonnage), was delivered on 6 January and immediately deployed on a six-month LPG charter for an energy trading company, with an option to extend another six months. Registered in the Marshall Islands, it illustrates a new model for LCO2 shipping.
Unlike earlier carriers tied to specific projects such as Norway’s Northern Lights storage initiative, Capital’s vessels are commercially owned, flexible, and capable of serving multiple CCUS projects alongside conventional gas trades. They are also significantly larger than earlier dedicated LCO2 carriers.
Capital Clean Energy Carriers points to growing demand for carbon transport. Current global capture capacity is around 50 million tonnes per year, and the International Energy Agency projects growth to 430 million tonnes by 2030, with storage capacity reaching roughly 670 million tonnes annually.
For more information:
Capital Maritime Group – https://www.capitalship.gr/
