Lack of Infrastructure Risks Undermining the Promise of Carbon Capture

The Greensand carbon storage project is one example of a solution for the carbon value chain (INEOS press handout illustration)

Shipping is rapidly approaching the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) 2030 checkpoints, by which the maritime industry must demonstrate at least a 20% total annual GHG emission reduction – measured against 2008 baselines – as established in the IMO’s 2023 Revised GHG Strategy. As 2030 approaches, supported by more stringent regulatory frameworks, shipping has experienced an acceleration in the development of innovative clean technologies for the reduction of GHG emissions.

Prominent among these new solutions is the development and implementation of onboard carbon capture and storage (OCCS) technology. However, despite the well-established technical viability of OCCS systems, major infrastructure constraints inhibit its ability to support a truly circular carbon economy.

Proven technology that supports impactful emissions reductions

The use of carbon capture technologies on board has been identified as a viable option to reduce emissions from ships and there are three leading approaches. These include oxyfuel combustion, which consists of burning a fossil fuel in a mixture of nearly pure oxygen and recycled flue gases (RFG) rather than air, resulting in a flue gas primarily consisting of water vapor and pure CO2 from the engine exhaust; pre-combustion capture, which involves the conversion of primarily carbon-based fuel through reforming, to remove its carbon molecules before combustion; and, post-combustion capture, which allows for the removal of CO2 from the exhaust gases after combustion has taken place.

OCCS systems have been operating within the maritime industry since the early 2020s, with the installation of a carbon capture and storage system by Value Maritime on the 1,040 TEU container ship Nordica. This initiative was followed by the EverLoNG feasibility project, which involved the installation of carbon capture systems on two LNG-fueled test vessels – Heerema Marine Contractors’ Sleipnir, and the Seapeak Arwa LNG carrier operated by TotalEnergies – to assess the potential for full-scale applications within the maritime sector.

Since the introduction of onboard carbon capture, Bureau Veritas Marine & Offshore (BV) has supported the safe integration of these new systems by awarding Approvals in Principle (AiP) for innovative projects - such as QIYAO ENVIRON TEC’s OCCS design - and by creating additional class notations as part of its Rules for the Classifications of Steel Ships, which provide requirements for the design, construction and installation of OCCS equipment onboard.

Over the last five years, OCCS technology has established itself as a viable and effective means of mitigating carbon emissions during vessel operations, with 15 vessels retrofitted with OCCS technology during 2025. However, barriers remain to its wider adoption. OCCS technology is still not fully recognized by IMO, with the necessary regulatory framework expected to be in place by 2028 at the earliest. For now, CCS is only being supported by regional regulations such as the EU ETS. In addition, the variety of technical options that are currently under development provides a level of market uncertainty when it comes to the most viable technology pathway.

However, the main barrier that impedes the widespread adoption of carbon capture technology is the integration of these systems into a full carbon capture utilization and storage value chain.

Decarbonization relies on a cohesive global value chain

Despite the technical feasibility of carbon capture technology, capture alone does not equate to emissions reduction from a well-to-wake perspective. In order for the technology’s potential to be realized, carbon capture must be integrated with the broader concept of utilization and storage (CCUS), which has been identified by the International Energy Agency as one of the four pillars of the global energy transition.

The concept of CCUS relates to the capture of carbon dioxide emissions from large-point sources, with the intention of either storing the captured carbon in deep geological formations for permanent sequestration, or using it for a range of industrial applications, such as the production of synthetic fuels – when combined with hydrogen – including e-methanol and Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF), as well as building materials. Additionally, more novel applications for captured carbon are available, including the production of carbonated drinks, as well as plastics, fibers, and synthetic rubbers. On a global scale, nearly 230 million tonnes of CO2 are used in industrial applications each year, including the production of fertilizers, steel, and food and beverages.

Shipping plays a fundamental role in the CCUS value chain, as liquid CO2 carriers represent one of the main modes of transport for CO2. Seaborne transport offers flexibility in terms of CO2 sources and the routes required for CO2 transportation, as well as reduced set-up time and cost when compared to pipeline infrastructure. It is of particular interest for offshore CO2 storage projects.

However, significant gaps within the value chain persist, impeding the potential for wider deployment of CCUS as a solution. The lack of viable utilization pathways represents the fundamental challenge. As a recent study from the Global Centre for Maritime Decarbonization (GCMD) highlighted, “while a limited number of ports possess the infrastructure to offload liquified CO2 (LCO2), they are primarily designed to handle food grade CO2. The higher purity standards that accompany this use limits the interoperability of facilities to handle onboard captured CO2.”

To address this value chain gap, new offloading concepts such as reverse bunkering practices, which involve the use of specialized port or seagoing barges that can collect the LCO2 and transport it directly to collection hubs, could act as a linchpin between onboard capture and sequestration.

Pilot projects such as the Northern Lights project have established a viable blueprint that could unlock the true potential of CCUS technology. The project represented the first cross-border CO2 shipping and storage initiative. Specialized LCO2 carriers transported captured CO2 from emitters in Norway, Denmark, and the Netherlands to a receiving terminal in Øygarden, Norway, and the CO2 was then transported via a pipeline into the North Sea sequestration hub. Another innovative example is the Greensand project in Denmark, for which BV provides classification services. The Greensand project – developed by Ineos – will be the first ever LCO2 carrier project with dynamic positioning and direct injection systems on board the unit.

Change is on the horizon

In order for carbon capture to reach its next phase, the technology must be supported by viable infrastructure, as well as clearly defined standards and system integration. Regulatory inconsistencies also hamper engagement with CCUS systems, as the IMO continues to explore the potential introduction of interim OCCS safety related guidelines, which are currently due to be approved in 2029.

In the meantime, IMO guidelines for the testing, survey, certification and approval of OCCS systems to be installed on board vessels are due to be adopted by the IMO at the 85th session of the Marine Environment Protection Committee in late 2026. The question no longer remains as to whether the technology works. However, the true potential of CCS cannot be realized within a vacuum - it must be part of a concerted effort to develop enhanced infrastructure that will support a truly circular economy, in which shipping will be a fundamental enabler.

Marcos Salido is Environmental Project Manager (Strategy & Advanced Services) at BV.

The opinions expressed herein are the author's and not necessarily those of The Maritime Executive.