Samsung Heavy Industries, one of the world’s largest shipbuilders, and multinational chemical company BASF will partner to adapt a maritime CO2 capture system. The two parties signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for Onboard Carbon Capture (OCCS) and Storage Technology at the Gastech trade show on Sept. 5-8 in Milan, Italy.
The project is in line with the International Maritime Organization’s goal of 40% CO2 emissions reduction by 2030. Carbon capture and storage (CCS) is among the solutions in the shipping industry that aim to contribute to efforts against climate change, together with alternative fuels, such as hydrogen, biofuel, and ammonia.
The two companies will conduct a feasibility study that will consider the practicality of capturing carbon on board ships using BASF’s technology. The chemical company will contribute its expertise on floating liquified natural gas (FLNG) as well as its OASE® blue carbon capture technology, which according to the BASF website offers “highly stable, low-maintenance innovative solvent solutions” to remove CO2 from flue gas. The technology was initially developed for large-scale polluters like power plants. BASF’s amine scrubbing process is used in over 200 sites globally to scrub carbon and other gases out of different process streams.
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The scope of the joint partnership also includes engineering design and construction of the CO2 capture solution.
“Through cooperation with BASF, Samsung Heavy Industries has developed an efficient Onboard Carbon Capture system, which will help gain a competitive advantage in a low carbon shipping market,” said Youngkyu Ahn, Head of Shipbuilding Sales Engineering at Samsung Heavy Industries.
Similarly to Value Maritime and Headway, the Samsung-BASF partnership is yet another important example of the developing maritime carbon capture ecosystem. The American Bureau of Shipping estimates that investment in such systems will increase in the upcoming ten years, even though the technology is still not entirely developed.
Read more: Ships Can Now Use Carbon Capture To Go Carbon Neutral