Europe’s first CO2 carrier links the Port Esbjerg terminal and Nini West for the EU’s first full-scale carbon storage value chain
Project Greensand has transitioned from planning to delivery with the recent completion and launch of Carbon Destroyer 1, the European Union’s inaugural purpose-built offshore carbon dioxide carrier. This vessel forms a critical component of the EU’s first full-scale carbon capture and storage (CCS) value chain, integrating maritime engineering, onshore logistics and subsurface storage.
The christening ceremony took place on 14 May 2025 at the Royal Niestern Sander shipyard in the Netherlands, where Lady Catherine Ratcliffe served as godmother, officially naming the vessel Carbon Destroyer 1. Sir Jim Ratcliffe, chairman of INEOS and part-owner of Manchester United Football Club, declared: “The launch of Carbon Destroyer 1 is an important next step for carbon capture and storage in Europe. We are demonstrating that carbon storage is commercially viable and a far better way to decarbonise Europe without its deindustrialisation.” Royal Wagenborg chief executive officer Egbert Vuursteen added: “This launch is a defining moment for Wagenborg. It combines over a century of maritime experience with a forward-looking vision of sustainability. As the first European-built offshore CO2 carrier, this vessel positions us — and our partners — at the forefront of the energy transition in Europe.”
The carrier is based on Wagenborg’s EasyMax hull design, modified specifically for liquefied CO2 transport under pressure and at low temperature. Engineering adaptations include reinforced insulation, high-integrity piping and advanced safety systems, ensuring cargo integrity during North Sea voyages. INEOS Energy Europe, chief executive officer Mads Gade said: “The completion of all sections of the CO2 vessel is a giant step forward for transportation of CO2 in the EU. This ship is essential to our ambition of establishing the first full-scale CO2 storage facility in the EU. With the carrier now entering its next construction phase, Greensand is getting closer to completing Europe’s first full CCS value chain.”
“We are demonstrating that carbon storage is commercially viable and a far better way to decarbonise Europe without its deindustrialisation”
Wagenborg Offshore director Edwin de Vries noted: “We are proud to reach this important milestone together with INEOS for the Project Greensand. The vessel is the first of its kind made in the EU and shows how the maritime industry in the North of the Netherlands can contribute to the energy transition. Construction is progressing steadily and according to plan.”
Parallel to the vessel build, construction has commenced at Port Esbjerg in Denmark on a dedicated CO2 transit terminal. This onshore infrastructure will comprise six storage tanks, each with approximately 1,000 tonne capacity, alongside cryogenic pumping and loading systems to receive liquefied CO2 by road and transfer it onto Carbon Destroyer 1. Initially, captured CO2 from Danish biogas plants will arrive by tanker; future enhancements may include pipeline connections to streamline feedstock delivery.
