Carbon Ridge, a developer of onboard carbon capture and storage solutions for the maritime industry, has achieved a shipping industry first with the successful deployment of a centrifugal onboard carbon capture system (OCCS) aboard an LR2 product tanker owned by Scorpio Tankers.
The pilot marks the first deployment of a centrifugal OCCS system in maritime operations, and commenced operations aboard the STI Spiga in July at Besiktas Shipyard in Turkey.
Carbon Ridge‘s technology offers a modular design that reduces initial capital investment and ongoing operational costs while delivering, the company claims, superior capture efficiency compared with conventional technologies. The technology’s compact design means that space requirements are reduced by up to 75% compared with conventional OCCS columns, while flexible installation options (vertical or horizontal, depending on vessel constraints) accommodate the requirements of shipping’s diverse and globally operational fleet. Captured CO2 is compressed, liquefied and stored safely for the duration of the voyage.
Designed for retrofit and new-build integration, the technology is scalable and fuel agnostic, and offers shipowners flexibility in their fleet decarbonization strategies without requiring major propulsion system overhauls.
“Unlike other CCS solutions, which are designed to be deployed on land and then adapted for ocean operation, we have specifically designed and developed this technology for the maritime industry,” explained Chase Dwyer, CEO and founder of Carbon Ridge. “The centrifugal carbon capture system is unlike anything that has been deployed on a vessel before, and offers a cost-effective, flexible and modular solution to support the maritime industry in its decarbonization efforts. Our ambition is to lead the way for CCS in shipping, and we are excited to see the results of this deployment with our partner Scorpio Tankers.”
“We’re proud to be part of this pilot project with Carbon Ridge, as they not only represent the leading edge of CCS technology but also have the requisite understanding of our industry to develop and implement practical solutions,” added Cameron Mackey, chief operating officer of Scorpio Tankers. “We look forward to the results of the pilot and our continuing partnership as we face the challenges of decarbonization for shipping.”