Achieving 99.9% high-purity carbon dioxide capture and utilization is regarded as a core decarbonization technology.
Deployed on an HMM container ship, field trials have been conducted since July last year.
South Korean environmental equipment company Panasia recently announced the successful completion of a demonstration project for the “Onboard Carbon Capture & Storage System” (OCCS) in collaboration with HMM, Samsung Heavy Industries, and the Korean Register of Shipping (KR).
Launched in July last year, the project involved the first-ever installation of an amine absorption-based OCCS device on a 2,200 TEU HMM container ship. The system received the “CEmC-OCCS Notation” (a specialized additional notation for carbon capture and storage) from KR, in compliance with carbon capture regulations. This marks South Korea’s first successful case of applying KR-designed and certified OCCS equipment to an operational vessel.
The demonstration aimed to verify the effectiveness and commercial viability of OCCS technology while exploring the potential for a decarbonization value chain linking shipbuilding, shipping, and energy industries. Notably, the system utilizes waste heat during vessel operation to capture and liquefy CO₂ for storage, significantly reducing energy consumption and proving its economic feasibility.
In January and May of this year, liquefied CO₂ with a purity of up to 99.9% was captured and subsequently used as feedstock for producing green methanol (a potential marine fuel). This goes beyond simply storing liquefied CO₂ underground, serving as a prime example of carbon utilization (Carbon Utilization). Currently, the industry widely acknowledges that advancing OCCS commercialization requires improvements in onshore infrastructure, regulations, and institutional frameworks for post-capture CO₂ handling.
A Panasia representative stated, “This demonstration holds significant meaning as it validates the effectiveness and applicability of OCCS technology in real-world maritime conditions. Moving forward, we will continue to lead the development of ship decarbonization solutions in response to global environmental regulations.
