Ships could save up to 20% CO₂ using carbon capture, study finds

Some manufacturers of OCCS systems have indicated that as much as 90% of CO₂ could be removed from ship exhaust, but have been cagey about the particulars. This is because OCCS systems are reliant on a large input of additional energy, which must be created by burning fuel, to work.

The study’s headline figure of a 20% CO₂ saving was achievable using OCCS. But the system would not function without an additional fuel burn of 10%. While the equation enables a carbon-negative outcome, burning additional fuel generates more CO₂ emission for the OCCS to deal with.

The development of port-based carbon removal methodologies is also behind, with CCS in general held back by a lack of underground cavern storage facilities where CO₂ emissions would end up.

“For OCCS systems to be practical, the industry needs to manage captured CO₂ effectively,” said GCMD CEO Professor Lyn Loo. “To this end, GCMD has previously completed a study to define the operational envelope for offloading onboard captured CO₂, contributing to the whole-of-system approach to emissions reduction via carbon capture.”

The study was undertaken by Oil and Gas Climate Initiative (OGCI), a member organisation including twelve fossil fuel majors, as well as Singapore’s Global Centre for Maritime Decarbonisation (GCMD), Stena Bulk, and a consortium including ABS, Alfa Laval, Deltamarin, Lloyd’s Register, Seatrium, and TNO.