Carbon capture could potentially scale up towards 2028-2030. File Image / Pixabay

LNG carriers and large tankers are best positioned for the early adoption of onboard carbon capture and storage (OCCS), according to a new study commissioned by the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS).

The report, prepared by Lloyd's Register Advisory and released on Tuesday, found that these vessel types are the strongest candidates because their operational profiles, available space and energy characteristics are better suited to accommodating carbon capture equipment and onboard CO2 storage.

Container ships could also adopt OCCS through modular systems, although at the expense of cargo capacity, while bulk carriers face the toughest retrofit challenges due to tighter space constraints and more limited heat recovery potential.

The study concluded that OCCS is technically feasible and has already been demonstrated at sea across multiple ship types and technologies.

However, commercial adoption will depend on overcoming three key barriers: ship integration, carbon disposal infrastructure and regulatory certainty.

The report said OCCS remains one of the few near-term options capable of delivering significant emissions reductions for vessels expected to continue operating on conventional and transition fuels through the 2030s.

According to the report, liner services are likely to be better suited to OCCS than tramp shipping because predictable port calls simplify CO2 offloading and verification arrangements across the carbon value chain.

The report also highlighted that the regulatory framework needed for OCCS to be fully recognised remains incomplete.

While the EU ETS can recognise permanently stored CO2, IMO regulations currently lack a defined mechanism to credit captured carbon, weakening the business case for wider deployment.

The study concluded that OCCS is likely to remain route-specific and pilot-led in the near term, but could scale more broadly towards 2028-2030 if accounting rules, monitoring standards and carbon reception infrastructure are put in place.

Full report can be found here.