South Korea is stepping up efforts to position its onboard carbon capture technology on the global stage, launching a new public-private initiative to help shape international standards.
The country’s Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries announced the formation of a dedicated consultative body focused on onboard carbon capture systems (OCCS), with its inaugural meeting set to take place in Busan.
OCCS technology is designed to capture carbon dioxide directly from a vessel’s exhaust stream, liquefy it, and store it onboard for later offloading or reuse on land. The approach is gaining attention as the maritime sector faces increasing pressure to reduce emissions in line with global climate targets.
Coordinating Industry to Influence Global Rules
The newly formed group brings together a cross-section of South Korea’s maritime ecosystem, including shipbuilders, shipping companies, equipment manufacturers, and research organisations.
Among the participants are Korean Register and Korea Research Institute of Ships and Ocean Engineering, alongside major industry players such as HMM, Samsung Heavy Industries, and Hanwha Ocean.
Additional contributors include HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering, Hyundai Heavy Industries Power Systems, Hi Air Korea, and PANASIA, reflecting a coordinated push across the value chain.
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The primary objective is to align domestic technological advancements with the framework of the International Maritime Organization (IMO), which is responsible for setting global shipping standards. By consolidating expertise and resources, South Korea aims to accelerate the recognition of its OCCS solutions within future carbon reduction regulations.
Government officials indicated that the initiative will focus on building a structured pathway toward international standardisation, ensuring that locally developed technologies can contribute to global decarbonisation efforts in shipping.
As regulatory momentum builds, onboard carbon capture is emerging as one of several pathways being explored to curb emissions from hard-to-abate maritime operations.
Read more: GCMD Study Finds Emissions Savings Across Onboard Carbon Capture Value Chain
