Significant step forward for carbon capture at sea

The carbon capture tests, carried out during sea trials of a new vessel, used a modified Alfa Laval PureSOx installation on board, operating in closed loop mode, to capture carbon dioxide emitted by auxiliary diesel engines in port.

Carbon capture and storage (CCS) is seen as another possible means of cutting carbon emissions from ships as the industry adopts tries and tests a range of new technologies while carbon-neutral and zero-carbon fuels continue in development.

Alfa Laval’s René Diks, head of Exhaust Gas Cleaning, commented: “Alfa Laval PureSOx is a proven solution with a long track record in SOx abatement. The positive results from our project with NMRI Japan show that scrubber technology could also play a role in removing carbon at sea. Both short- and long-term solutions will be needed to achieve IMO greenhouse gas emission reduction targets.

“Much development is needed before CCS can be deployed at sea,” Diks conceded, “but this preliminary testing showed clear potential in this approach.”