Asia/Pacific News
GCMD to Study Onboard Carbon Capture Infrastructure
The Singapore-based Global Centre for Maritime Decarbonisation (GCMD) is set to launch a study looking into what ports will need to do to support ships with onboard carbon capture systems.
The GCMD has issued invitation for proposal to study the challenges of and to operationalise the offloading of shipboard captured CO2, it said in an emailed statement on Tuesday.
The organisation is seeking proposals from shortlisted engineering consultancies and classification societies for the evaluation of the safety, technical and operational requirements for offloading the captured carbon during port calls.
The GCMD expects to award the contract for the study in the second quarter of next year.
"GCMD views shipboard carbon capture as an important mid-term technological solution that can help reduce shipping's GHG emissions," Lynn Loo, CEO of the GCMD, said in the statement.
"For shipboard carbon capture technologies to be operationally feasible, the industry needs to develop a value chain for the captured CO2.
"Whilst IMO has no firm position on the use of carbon capture systems to reduce GHG emissions, the topic is up for discussion at the upcoming MEPC meeting this month.
"Our study will contribute to the emerging body of knowledge around the complexities of shipboard carbon capture."
Carbon capture technology has seen growing interest over the past two years as a means of achieving decarbonisation, particularly in the short term.
Earlier this year engineering company Wärtsilä suggested to Ship & Bunker that an abatement cost of EUR 50-70 per tonne of CO2 from on-board capture units was achievable, including capital and running costs but excluding what happens to the captured carbon once it has been delivered to shore.
The technology is attractive because it allows for continued use of conventional fuels in the short term while technological and infrastructure issues are being ironed out for the zero-carbon fuels. But opponents of the technology tend to view it as a means of avoiding the real work to be done on decarbonisation in favour of continuing with fossil fuels.
For on-board units, the need for extra storage space on board ships to hold the captured carbon emissions is also a limitation on which shipping segments the technology is suitable for.
