Singapore-based Eastern Pacific Shipping has teamed up with Dutch maritime technology company Value Maritime to install carbon capture technology on two MR tankers, making them the largest ocean-going vessels equipped with the technology.
Eastern Pacific Shipping has signed a binding deal with Value Maritime to install carbon capture and filtration systems on the MR tankers M/T Pacific Cobalt and M/T Pacific Gold, with an option to equip three more vessels. The first system is expected to be completed within this year, with engineering and planning underway.
The two 49,700 DWT vessels, built in 2020, will be equipped with VM’s Filtree System, a prefabricated gas cleaning system that filters sulfur and 99% of particulate matter. The system will include a Carbon Capture Module that will charge an onboard carbon dioxide battery.
The charged carbon battery will then be discharged in port and utilized by customers like greenhouses or fed into carbon sequestration networks, according to Eastern Pacific Shipping. The discharged battery will be returned to the vessel for carbon recharging. This ‘plug and play’ technology enables vessels to absorb up to 40% of carbon dioxide emissions today, with the potential to surpass 90% in the future.
“Partnering with Value Maritime is a major step forward for Eastern Pacific Shipping and the industry’s energy transition,” said EPS CEO Cyril Ducau, explaining that the company’s present portfolio of emission-lowering solutions is mostly made up of alternative marine fuels and lacks carbon capture technology.
“We believe that carbon capture technology holds significant promise for reducing emissions for existing and future ocean-going vessels,” he added.
He went on to say, “Coupled with alternative fuels, biofuels, and other solutions, carbon capture is a crucial step in accelerating the shipping industry’s decarbonization efforts ahead of IMO targets. By equipping our tankers with Value Maritime’s systems, we hope to prove to the industry that carbon capture is a viable and scalable option available right now.”
In addition to carbon capture, the Filtree System eliminates oil residue and particle matter from wash water, ensuring that its PH value is neutralized to avoid ocean acidification.
Aside from the retrofits, the two companies are looking at future partnership options, such as putting the Filtree System on the shipping company’s newbuild containerships.
