Carbon Capture Storage (CCS) can reduce CO2 emissions from Gotland traffic

CCS, or carbon capture and storage, is a method of physically capturing carbon dioxide and storing it underground or in seabeds. It is a technology already being tested in several industries, such as lime, steel, aluminum and cement production, and is now also being developed for shipping.

– Our solution is characterized by a membrane technology that acts as a filter to capture carbon dioxide on ships. We believe that CCS can be one of several important solutions to reduce emissions from shipping. On existing ships, the technology contributes to a low carbon footprint, as it is ideal for places with limited space,” said Saravanan Janakiram, project manager from Aqualung.

The patented membrane technology was developed following research at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) and features an aqueous coating containing polymers and graphene-based nanoparticles. This means very small particles (about 200 nanometers) that create an effective coating on the membrane and make it possible to separate the carbon dioxide from the other gases.

– The system is designed to be efficiently located near existing components and facilities, such as heating elements or exhaust pipes. This makes it a smart technology for places with limited space, like ships. Our technology has a very high performance and an efficient filtration of carbon dioxide from other gases,” says Saravanan Janakiram.

Aqualung’s system requires a significantly smaller amount of energy than other CCS technologies and only a low pressure is needed for the gas to pass through the membrane. This makes Aqualung see it as a technology of the future from both an energy and cost point of view.

The collaboration, known as AMbCS (Advanced Membrane Solutions for CCUS in Shipping), involves seven partners from three countries. In addition to Gotlandsbolaget and Aqualung, the industrial company Andritz, the Belgian shipping company Victrol, the Norwegian university NTNU and the Norwegian research institute SINTEF, including SINTEF Industry and SINTEF Energy, are also participating.

Aqualung’s CCS membrane solution will be integrated on board one of Victrol’s tankers and together the project participants will investigate and address the barriers that currently limit the use of CCS for shipping, such as the handling of captured carbon dioxide in port. The project, funded under a European cooperation project, will run for three years and include several different applications, such as long-distance shipping, ferry lines such as the Gotland service, and shorter boat trips with regular stops at different locations such as Victrol in Belgium.

The need to reduce CO2 emissions from shipping is crucial to reducing the impact of shipping on the climate. The collaboration between Aqualung and Gotlandsbolaget is an example of how new technologies are creating innovative ways to reduce emissions from existing ships.