World's 1st commercial liquefied carbon dioxide carrier delivered in China

The world's first commercial liquefied carbon dioxide (CO2) carrier, independently designed and built by a Chinese shipbuilding company, was delivered to its overseas client on Friday in Dalian City, northeast China's Liaoning Province.

The carrier, named Northern Pioneer, was constructed by Dalian Shipbuilding Industry Co., Ltd., of China State Shipbuilding Corporation. Measuring about 130 meters long and 21.2 meters wide, it can transport 7,500 cubic meters of liquefied CO2 at a time.

Powered by liquefied natural gas dual-fuel technology, it meets the most stringent global energy efficiency design standards, making it a environmentally friendly, safe and highly efficient vessel with international cutting-edge features.

"This ship is the first of its kind in the world," Gai Yong, project manager at Dalian Shipbuilding Industry Co., Ltd., told China Media Group. "It features a newly developed steel plate material for the cargo tanks, and a first-time design and construction of a liquefied cargo system."

Gai said the vessel incorporates multiple energy-saving and environmentally friendly designs, which increased the difficulty of construction while also breaking new ground in the carbon transport industry.

Following its delivery, the vessel will serve Norway's large-scale commercial liquefied CO2 seabed storage project.

It will transport CO2 emissions from the European industries to a reception terminal on Norway's west coast, where CO2 will be processed and injected 2,600 meters below the seabed for permanent storage.

As the world's first vessel dedicated to marine carbon transport and storage, Northern Pioneer will play a leading role in developing global solutions for land-based CO2 emission management.

"The delivery of the ship proves that China's shipbuilding industry is ready to provide various transport, storage and sequestration equipment for marine carbon storage in the future, preparing for the arrival of such an emerging market," said Peng Guisheng, head of the marketing department at Dalian Shipbuilding Industry Co., Ltd.