Mitsubishi Shipbuilding Co., Ltd., a part of the Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) Group, and Nippon Yusen Kabushiki Kaisha (NYK Line) has been granted Approval in Principle (AiP) from the Japanese classification society ClassNK for a ship that can transport ammonia and liquefied CO2 (LCO2).
LCO2 carriers play an important role as one of the means of efficiently transporting captured and liquefied CO2 to storage sites or effective use sites in the CCUS (Carbon dioxide Capture, Utilisation and Storage) value chain, which is attracting attention as one of the means to realise a low-carbon and decarbonised society.
Thermal power plants
Ammonia is attracting worldwide interest as a next-generation clean energy that does not emit CO2 during combustion. The movement to strategically utilise ammonia in decarbonisation is also gaining momentum worldwide.
The movement to strategically utilise ammonia in decarbonisation is also gaining momentum worldwide
Mitsubishi Shipbuilding and NYK Line have been working on the technological development of ammonia or LCO2 dedicated carriers, and both companies have already been collaborating on the technical development of large LCO2 carriers. With this acquisition of AiP, the two companies will utilise their accumulated knowledge of ammonia and LCO2 to aim for the safe and economical transportation of ammonia and LCO2 on the same carrier. In that case, the carrier could transport ammonia to thermal power plants on the outbound route and then carry CO2 emitted from thermal power plants to storage sites on the return route.
Energy transition business
MHI Group is strategically working to strengthen the energy transition business, and Mitsubishi Shipbuilding is promoting the development and commercialisation of ammonia and LCO2 carriers as a marine system integrator, aiming to build a value chain that spans land and sea and realise a decarbonised society.
In addition, NYK Line will continue to develop various technologies, including ‘ammonia and liquefied CO2 carriers,’ through the AiP acquired this time, utilising its abundant knowledge of ship operations. NYK Line will contribute to realising a carbon-neutral society by promoting the establishment of the CCUS value chain and the ammonia value chain.
