It has been agreed between seven companies that a joint study will be carried out between them and this joint study will focus on establishing standard specifications and designers for LCO2 carriers. Plus, this collaboration will also help to establish a construction supply chain.

The companies involved in this deal include, “K” LINE, MOL, NYK Line, Mitsubishi Shipbuilding, Imabari Shipbuilding, JMU, and Nihon Shipyard. Once these companies have completed their current project, they will then proceed to consider designing, developing and building new fuel ships, which will use decarbonisation technologies such as ammonia fuel.

This project is occurring due to the expectation that the demand for LCO2 carriers will grow, in order to meet the demands of various CCS project, which will be dedicated to transporting CO2 collected in Japan to storage sites by sea. This system is the reason why it will be important to develop LCO2 carriers, so that they can be supplied to this system and a CCS value chain can be created within Japan and therefore improve economic efficiency.

The purpose behind the overall study that is due to take place, will be to focus on LCO2 carriers and to aim to enable construction at various shipyards located throughout Japan. On top of this, the consortium has announced plans to collaborate widely with industry stakeholders, including other shipyards which share the same awareness of the current situation and issues. The companies will collaborate with these stakeholders in order to contribute to the further progress of a decarbonised society by developing low emission ships, with the use of decarbonisation technologies.