Photo: Dalian Shipbuilding Corporation Limited

 
A Chinese shipyard has begun building two of the world's first 7,500 cubic meter liquid carbon dioxide vessels for a Norwegian company, which will be used in a European carbon dioxide capture and storage program to help advance Europe's overall carbon neutrality goals, the Global Times learned from the shipyard on Monday.

Dalian Shipbuilding Corporation Limited, a subsidiary of China State Shipbuilding Corporation Limited, which is set to build the two vessels, told the Global Times that the liquid carbon dioxide vessel specializes in marine carbon transport and storage, with an overall length of about 130 meters and a width of 21.2 meters. The vessel has a structural draft of 8 meters, and is registered with DNV.

The Global Times has learned that the vessels will be used in the European CO2 capture and storage program after construction. The vessels will collect CO2 generated by European industries, transport it to the CO2 receiving terminal on the west coast of Norway, process it and inject it into the subsea at a depth of 2,600 meters for permanent storage, thus reducing CO2 emissions in Europe and promoting the ultimate goal of carbon neutrality in the continent as a whole.

The ship is equipped with the world's first fully pressurized Type C liquid cargo tank made of special materials. By applying two innovative technologies -- rotor sail and bubble drag reduction -- the vessels will significantly reduce emission levels and improve energy efficiency to meet the most advanced Energy Efficiency Design Index (EEDI Phase 3) requirements.

The ship type in this project is designed and completed by Dalian Shipbuilding with full independent intellectual property rights, according to the shipyard.