Dutch companies Conoship International and Bouman Industries have entered into an agreement to build ship based carbon capture systems.
The partnership is said to unlock the potential of innovative maritime carbon capture systems, which the partners believe is essential to reduce the carbon footprint of the existing fleet, new ships and customers.
Geert Dokter, CEO Conoship International said: “It’s my pleasure to announce that Bouman Industries and Conoship International start a joint venture to build ship based carbon capture systems. Bouman Industries with its subsidiary Carbotreat is known for their strength in building field proven land based carbon capture systems. With this joint venture, Carbotreat Maritime, we develop these systems suitable for use on ships to reduce CO2 emissions in maritime application. Together we can accelerate the decarbonisation of the maritime sector of the coming decades. This partnership therefore ensures Conoship International’s mission to provide the shipping industry with practical solutions to achieve low or zero emission ships.”
The combined expertise of the joint venture will enables shipowners and operators to reduce CO2 emissions on their newbuild and existing vessels. The joint venture is the spin-off of a four-year collaboration with TNO and Bouman. Conoship has been researching and developing the maritime application of this technology, particularly for LNG-powered vessels. In the international carbon capture research project EverLoNG, two carbon capture systems are under development in case studies for Heerema’s Sleipnir and an LNG carrier of Total Energies.
By adding a ship based carbon capture system to capture the CO2 in the exhaust gases, the shipboard CO2 -emissions can be reduced up to 95%. The captured CO2 can be cooled and stored on board. Onshore, it can be reused to produce synthetic methane, considered a promising step towards a closed carbon loop.
Integrating the CO2-capturing installation during the initial ship design at Conoship is thought to create an optimal solution. However, carbon capture system installations are also suited as modernisation of the existing fleet.
Wilco van Wijck, CEO Bouman Industries said: “With our realised land-based CO2 capture plants, combined with Conoship’s expertise, we can deliver large-scale carbon capture and storage plants onboard ships. Research has shown that our carbon capturing systems enable to reach the IMO goals 2030 and 2050, even for existing ships. With Carbotreat Maritime we can reduce the carbon footprint of shipping with more than 75% in the short term and are aiming for 100% in the future.”
