“Carbon Capture on the Ocean”(CC-Ocean) project conducted in cooperation with Mitsubishi Shipbuilding Co., Ltd., a part of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries(MHI) Group, Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha, Ltd.(“K” Line) and ClassNK has received the “Marine Engineering of the Year 2021(Doko Memorial Award)” from the Japan Institute of Marine Engineering(JIME). The award was received in recognition of the world’s first marine-based CO2 capture system on actual voyage to successfully separate and capture CO2 from flue gas, with the captured CO2 having a purity of greater than 99.9%, achieving performance in line with plan. The award ceremony was held on July 22 at the Kaiun Club in Tokyo.
This prize, awarded for outstanding technical achievements in the fields of marine engines and equipment, offshore instruments, and related marine engineering, aims to draw attention to the innovativeness and importance of these achievements both in Japan and around the world, and support the further advancement of associated scientific and industrial technologies. The award-winning “CC-Ocean” project aims to capture CO2 at sea by converting an existing CO2 capture system for onshore power plants to a marine environment. The system was installed on board the CORONA UTILITY, a coal carrier for Tohoku Electric Power Co., Inc. operated by “K” Line, with demonstration testing conducted for approximately six months starting in August 2021. The amount, ratio, and purity of the captured CO2 were all in line with plan, demonstrating the feasibility of capturing CO2 from the flue gas of marine engines onboard ships, where operating conditions differ from those on land.
ClassNK was involved in the evaluation and verification of the overall project from a safety perspective. The knowledge gained from this project will be used to develop adequate standards related to CO2 capture technologies in order to contribute to the reduction of GHG emissions from ships.