Mitsubishi Shipbuilding and Nippon Gas Line have received an Approval in Principle (AiP) from ClassNK for their design concept of a costal liquefied CO2 carrier. This design was jointly developed by both Mitsubishi Shipbuilding and Nippon Gas Line.

Whilst large ships which are able to transport CO2 both domestically and internationally are a large part of creating the CCS value chain, coastal vessels play a crucial part in the development of this chain too. This can be seen in the way they are able to collect CO2 from small-scale emission sites based in Japan and then proceed to transport these emissions to base sites toward overseas storage sites. This will be incredibly helpful throughout the future, especially as demand continues to grow. It is clear that the AiP being awarded, showcases a step towards creating the supply of coastal liquefied CO2 carriers.

Recently, a concept study of this vessel was completed, at the same time as the FY2024 "Japanese Advanced CCS Projects" were conducted. The "Japanese Advanced CCS Projects" were carried out by the Japan Organization for Metals and Energy Security (JOGMEC).

Further to this, ClassNK held a deign review of the ship, which was based on part N of the companies’ “Rules and Guidance for the Survey and Construction of Steel Ships.” This assessment included the IGC Code, which is an international code for both the construction and equipment of ships carrying liquefied gases such as liquefied CO2 and LNG in bulk. Once the review was complete and it was agreed that all the requirements were met, ClassNK issued the AiP.