Vessel-Based Carbon Capture

Wärtsilä, MAN Energy Solutions, research institute SINTEF, and Norwegian shipping company Solvang are working on a new pilot that will test out onboard carbon capture and storage. The Clipper Eris, the first ship outfitted with this advanced technology, features a seven-megawatt carbon capture system supplied by Wärtsilä. This system uses cutting-edge amine scrubber technology to extract approximately 70% of the CO₂ from the main engine’s exhaust gases. Once captured, the CO₂ is chilled, liquefied, and stored in specialized tanks on the vessel, ready for safe offloading at designated facilities.

The year-long pilot project will rigorously evaluate the system’s performance under real-world conditions, providing critical insights into its operational efficiency and scalability. If successful, this breakthrough could pave the way for widespread adoption of onboard CCS technology, offering the shipping industry a viable pathway to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Image Credit: Solvang