"Northern Pioneer", the first of four state-of-the-art liquid CO₂ carriers for the Project Northern Lights, has successfully completed its first CO₂ loading operation.

The CO₂ was captured from Heidelberg Materials'cement plant in Brevik, marking the operational start of Europe's first open and commercial carbon transport and storage value chain.

Northern Lights, a joint venture between Equinor, Shell, and TotalEnergies, aims to safely transport and store industrial CO₂ emissions beneath the North Sea seabed, approximately 2,600 meters underground. The project is a cornerstone of Longship, the Norwegian government’s flagship CCS initiative, and is supported by the EU’s Projects of Common Interest (PCI) list.

Phase 1 capacity: 1.5 million tonnes of CO₂ per year
Phase 2 expansion: Increased to 5 million tonnes/year, with support from the CEF Energy fund
New 15-year agreement: Up to 900,000 tonnes/year of biogenic CO₂ from Stockholm Exergi

The entire CO₂ shipping fleet is being built in China's @Dalian Shipbuilding Industry (DSIC). Two vessels—"Northern Pioneer" and "Northern Pathfinder"—are now in operation. Two more 7,500 m³ vessels are under construction, with plans underway to expand the fleet with 10+ next-generation ships of over 12,000 m³ capacity.

With carbon shipping emerging as a critical link in the CCS value chain, Northern Lights is not only proving the concept but scaling it.

by Xinde Marine News Pang Kai

The opinions expressed herein are the author's and not necessarily those of The Xinde Marine News.