First European-built offshore CO2 carrier to be christened and launched on May 14

The construction of the first European-built offshore CO₂ carrier is nearing completion, and the vessel is set to be christened and launched on May 14th in Denmark.

The vessel is specifically designed to transport liquefied CO₂ from onshore capture sites to offshore storage in the Danish part of the North Sea, as part of Project Greensand. 

INEOS reports that all ship sections of the vessel have now been successfully constructed and assembled at Royal Niestern Sander shipyard in the north of the Netherlands.

The ship’s builders say that the imminent completion of Europe’s first offshore CO₂ carrier will mark a pivotal milestone in the energy transition and the advancement of carbon capture and storage (CCS) infrastructure within Europe.

The construction of this “unique” vessel in the Netherlands underscores the innovative spirit of northern Dutch shipbuilding, say INEOS officials. The construction of this ship has followed a fast-track schedule, as the agreement between INEOS and Royal Wagenborg for the delivery of this newbuild CO₂ carrier was signed in November 2024. 

Royal Wagenborg and Royal Niestern Sander have previously pioneered “game-changing” vessels such as ‘walk-to-work’ offshore support ships and the EasyMax series.

Officials say that the CO₂ ship is designed to meet the highest standards for safety and environmental performance and is tailored to the specific technical requirements of CO2 transport, including onboard cooling and pressure systems. With the completion of the ship’s hull, the vessel enters the next phase of construction, which includes retrofitting, commissioning, testing, and sea trials.

Once launched and operational, the carrier will sail regular routes from Port Esbjerg to the Nini West platform, where the CO₂ will be injected for safe and permanent storage to the Nini reservoir approximately 1,800 metres beneath the seabed. 

This milestone follows a series of major developments in the Greensand project. In December 2024, INEOS and its partners Harbour Energy and Nordsøfonden issued the FID to move ahead with full-scale CO₂ storage operations at the Nini field.

With the plan to initiate permanent sand CO₂ storage at the Nini field by late 2025/early 2026, Greensand is expected to become the EU’s first operational CO₂ storage facility aimed at mitigating climate change. 

Mads Gade, CEO of INEOS Energy Europe, said: “The completion of all sections of the CO₂ vessel is a giant step forward for transportation of CO₂ in the EU. This ship is essential to our ambition of establishing the first full-scale CO₂ storage facility in the EU. With the carrier now entering its next construction phase, Greensand are getting closer to completing Europe’s first full CCS value chain.”