First LR1 Tanker Fitted with Scrubber and Carbon Capture Dual System
The first LR1 tanker has been fitted with a combined system from Value Maritime to capture carbon emissions while also scrubbing exhaust gas for particulate matter. The tanker, Nexus Victoria (75,000 dwt) is also reported to be the largest vessel to incorporate Value Marine’s SOx scrubber with advanced carbon capture technology.
The installation was recently completed in Singapore aboard the tanker, which is owned by Mitsui O.S.K. Lines and registered in the Isle of Man. The tanker, which is managed by Synergy Maritime, was built in Japan and runs with a single two-stroke six-cylinder diesel engine from Mitsui Engineering.
“This system represents a crucial step in decarbonizing vessels that cannot yet transition to next-generation fuels,” said Hiroyoshi Kubo, Executive Officer – Tanker Unit at MOL. “Together with Value Maritime, we are committed to advancing carbon capture solutions and building a CO2 value chain that contributes to a sustainable, carbon-neutral industry.”
VM’s Filtree system is designed to filter sulfur, CO2, and (ultra) fine particulate matter from the vessel’s exhaust stream. The company was started in 2017 focusing on scrubbers but has now developed a system that combines the two functions. The system’s plug-and-play design includes onboard CO2 capture and storage capabilities, enabling captured CO2 to be offloaded onshore for reuse in greenhouse cultivation, methanol production, or the food industry.
The system consists of two elements, including a small prefabricated, pre-installed, “plug and play” gas cleaning system in a road transportable housing. This system filters the sulfur, 99 percent of the particulate matter (fine dust), and CO? from the exhaust gases of ships. The second stage is equipped with a filter that cleans the washing water. Oil residues and particulate matter are removed from the washing water and fed to the sludge tank.
According to the company, its VM 15MW next-generation EGCS Filtree system will capture 10 percent of the tanker’s CO2 emissions. It is potentially scalable to 30 percent.
This project was agreed to in April 2024 as the company’s first in Japan. Value Maritime aims to expand its partnerships across Asia and enhance its carbon logistics.
Eastern Pacific Shipping installed onboard its MR tanker Pacific Cobalt a first-of-its-kind fully integrated carbon capture solution developed by Value Maritime in February 2023. At the time they reported the system would be capable of capturing up to 40 percent of CO2 emissions from the vessel’s main and auxiliary engines as well as 99 percent of SOx emissions. Ardmore Shipping in September 2023 also began fitting the first of nine systems aboard its tankers at a shipyard in China.
The shipping industry is showing increasing interest in the technology. It could become a key tool in addressing the emissions of the in-service fleet extending the life and financial performance of these vessels.