DNV greenlights low-pressure LCO2 carrier concept

Classification society DNV has approved a concept of low-pressure liquid carbon dioxide (LCO2) carrier designed by Shell and Norwegian ship designer Brevik Engineering.

PHOTO: Illustration of CO2 capture, transportation and storage. Bernard Schulte

The vessel is intended as a low-cost CO2 carrier specifically for the Asia-Pacific market, with low-pressure cargo tank technology playing a key role in reducing transportation costs, DNV said.

A low-pressure (7 bars and -49°C) CO2 tank requires less structural reinforcement than a medium-pressure (15 bars and -28°C) tank. Medium-pressure tanks used in LCO2 carriers usually have a thicker structure, which can reduce its load capacity, according to DNV.

As a result, low-pressure LCO2 transportation can allow “a larger ship tank diameter, flexibility in cargo hold arrangement, increased cargo capacities and presumably reduced transportation costs,” it noted.

The vessel's design includes 15 tanks with a total capacity to store 74,000 cbm of LCO2 at -50°C and a pressure of 6–8 bar.

“Low-pressure cargo tank designs are a key enabler to commercialise these large LCO2 ships to enable transportation of CO2 at lower cost,” DNV added.

The vessel is also designed to accommodate an onboard CO2 capture system in the future.

By Konica Bhatt

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