The Northern Lights project is developing infrastructure to ship CO2 from industrial emitters across Norway and other European countries to a receiving terminal in western Norway for intermediate storage, before being transported by pipeline for permanent storage in a geological reservoir 2,600m under the seabed. 

The first CO2 carriers are now being built in China for this purpose, with Svanehøj providing the pump systems that will handle the liquid CO2. The vessels will have a capacity of 7,500m 3 of liquid CO2. Svanehøj will deliver two deepwell cargo pumps of 15m for each ship. 

“We have won the order through our long-standing partner, TGE Marine, which designs and delivers complete Cargo Handling Systems for the CO2 carriers. TGE has chosen our deepwell cargo gas pumps, which they are very familiar with from numerous LPG tankers”, said Thomas Uhrenholt Nielsen, Sales Director, Cargo Gas at Svanehøj.

“Thanks to our experience from the relatively few CO2 ships built so far, we are part of the dialogue on several of the upcoming CCS projects. CCS is a focus area in our business strategy, and the order from TGE for Northern Lights is therefore of great strategic importance. This could be a big market for us within the next few years”, said Thomas Uhrenholt Nielsen.

Carbon capture and storage (CCS) has been recognised as an essential element in achieving global climate goals. According to the Global CCS Institute’s report 'Global status of CCS 2021', CCS projects grew by 48% from 2020 to 2021. 

At the end of 2021, there were 35 projects being developed in Europe alone. There is therefore an increasing focus on companies experienced in handling liquid CO2. Svanehøj features prominently here, as the company has been supplying cargo pump systems for CO2 carriers since the late 1990s.