Countdown to MEPC 81: Liberia backs 'viable' carbon capture on ships

Liberia has called for the IMO to include onboard carbon capture systems in its regulatory framework.

PHOTO: Liberia-flagged container ship. Getty Images

The West African nation wants carbon capture to be included in the IMO’s emission regulation mechanisms, like the Energy Efficiency Design Index (EEDI), Energy Efficiency Existing Ship Index (EEXI) and Carbon Intensity Indicator (CII). It stresses that carbon capture technology is a “critical component” in the maritime industry’s GHG reduction efforts. 

Liberia represents a massive chunk of the global shipping fleet. The Liberian Registry overtook Panama as the world’s largest ship registry by gross tonnage last year, according to Clarksons Research findings. It has over 5,000 vessels flagged to it and represents 14% of the world’s ocean-going fleet. 

It also represents a large part of the global shipping fleet that currently burns carbon-heavy oil-based fuels like VLSFO, HSFO and LSMGO. 

If the efficacy of carbon capture is proven - and regulators like the IMO looks favourably at it - it could help prolong the commercially viable lifetime of conventional bunker fuels like VLSFO.

To back up its position on carbon capture, Liberia has submitted findings to the IMO from a case study of a carbon capture system onboard a 3,200 TEU container ship. The case study was conducted by London-based climate tech start-up Seabound, which builds carbon capture systems for ships. 

Liberia argues that Seabound’s case study is “one of the first examples to demonstrate that OCCS [onboard carbon capture system] is a viable technology”.  

It says that Seabound’s “successful" pilot trials were conducted over two months while the ship sailed in the Middle East. The carbon capture system had a CO2 capture efficiency of 78%, Seabound claims. 

The Liberian Registry has given Seabound a go-ahead to conduct further trials.

The IMO's Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) will convene in London between 18-22 March to debate emission reduction measures.

By Manjula Nair  

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