The Northern Lights joint venture, which also cooperates with the German shipping company Bernhard Schulte, has found a charterer for its third CO2 tanker, the Japanese K Line.
Northern Lights announced today that it has signed bareboat charter and time charter agreements with the Japanese shipping group Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha (K Line) for the management of its third CO2 vessel under construction[ds_preview].
The Northern Lights fleet for planned or under construction vessels now comprises four vessels following the latest newbuilding announcement by Bernhard Schulte. Delivery is scheduled to start this year. The first two of the 7,500 m³ vessels are also sailing under K-Line charter.
Northern Lights gets four ships
Northern Lights, founded by Shell, TotalEnergies and Equinor, aims to provide transportation to Northern Lights’ CO2 terminal in Øygarden, Norway, for customers in Norway, Denmark and the Netherlands. From there, the CO2 is to be injected by pipeline “for safe and permanent storage” in an offshore reservoir 2,600 meters below the seabed. Børre Jacobsen, Managing Director of Northern Lights, has now said that over 400,000 tons of CO2 will be transported each year.
K Line is now working on concrete specifications and an “operations manual” and is cooperating with parties such as terminal operators and port authorities on the novel CCS project. At the same time, a training program for the crew is being implemented to ensure safe and reliable operation.
The main fuel for the ships will be LNG. In combination with other technologies such as wind-assisted rotor sails and air lubrication, the vessels are expected to have a CO2 footprint around 34% lower than conventionally powered vessels.
Ship details
- Capacity: 7,500 m³ liquid CO2
- Two cylindrical cargo tanks
- Length: 130 m
- Transport conditions: maximum pressure of 19 bar(g) and minimum temperature of -35°C
- 34% lower CO2 footprint than ships using conventional fuel
- LNG dual fuel, wind-assisted rotor sail and air lubrication
