Carbon capture and storage technology on board, will be the focus of a working group "set up" by the American Shipping Authority (ABS) with 13 shipping companies, including 8 Greek companies.
In particular, out of the 13 cooperating shipping companies, eight are of Greek interests . The reason for Diana Shipping Services SA at the "helm" of which is Semiramis Paleou, GasLog LNG Services Ltd, interests of Peter Livanou, Maran Gas Maritime Inc., interests of Maria Angelikousis, Minerva Gas Inc., interests of Andreas Martinou, Neptune Lines Shipping and Managing Enterprises SA, interests of the president of the Hellenic Shipowners Association Melina Travlou, Prime Tanker Management Inc, interests of Stathis Topouzoglou, Springfield Shipping Co. Panama SA (the technical manager of Olympic Shipping's tankers) and Thenamaris (Ships Management) Inc., interests of Nikolas Martinou.
At the same time, ABS, Equinor ASA, the Norwegian Maritime Authority (NMA), the shipping company Solvang ASA and the technology company Wartsila Moss AS also participate in the project.
As reported, the multi-month study, which is already underway, will focus on five different areas: Technology, Regulations, Operational Parameters, Economic Impact and Infrastructure.
"Carbon capture has the potential to become a key transformational technology for shipping to achieve the goal of zero emissions by 2050. The collective expertise and resources of partners will be instrumental in meeting the technical, regulatory and economic challenges associated with this innovative approach to reducing emissions" commented Panos Koutsourakis, ABS Vice President of Global Sustainability.
"In the absence of abundant and affordable zero carbon footprint fuels, carbon capture and storage technology is steadily gaining interest as a logical step to decarbonize shipping," GasLog COO Kostas Karathanos said.
The installation of such a system on a steamer is similar to the integration of a scrubber, that is carried out through retrofits. The challenge today for this technology is the lack of CO2 reception and storage infrastructure, as well as ships that will be able to transport the reserved quantities of CO2.
The Greek interest
Some of the Greek companies participating in the working group have already expressed their interest in the prospects of carbon capture technology.
For example, Peter Livanos has founded Ecolog, which wants to build a fleet of CO2 carriers, as well as import and export terminals for the sequestered quantity, while GasLog will work
with the South Korean shipyard DSME and ABS to install sequestration systems and CO2
storage in newly built LNG carriers.
Also, Olympic Shipping & Management, which manages the ships controlled by the Onassis Foundation, started a three-pronged collaboration with the Global Center for Maritime Decarbonization (GCMD) at the beginning of the year. The third axis of cooperation will focus on carbon sequestration. According to information, Olympic Shipping & Management estimates that within 3-5 years from today it will be able to test the technology on board.
Of course, other domestic shipping companies, which are not part of the working group with ABS, have come out in favor of carbon capture and storage technology.
Speaking, recently, to "N", the CEO of Dorian LPG, John Lycouris, had underlined that the most affordable way to contain the rise in temperature to 1.5 degrees Celsius compared to pre-industrial levels is carbon sequestration. He had added that shipping is the cheapest way to transport the sequestered quantities of CO2.
It is noted that a small investment in Aqualung, a company that innovates in the field of CO2 capture and separation technologies with membranes, has also been made by Giorgos Giouroukos' Global Ship Lease.
European initiative for zero emissions
An important step to promote carbon capture and storage technologies was recently made by the European Union, in its proposal for a zero emission industry.
In particular, the proposed legislation aims for the annual injection capacity of 50 million tons of CO2 at strategic locations in the EU by 2030, with proportional contributions from the Union's oil and gas producers.
Source : naftemporiki.gr