CO2 on sea routes. Time for shipping and ports [REPORT]
Ship-to-ship CO2 transshipment at Yangshan Deep-Water Port Shanghai. Source: SMDERI-QET.
By The competitiveness of ports and maritime connections will soon be determined not only by modern quays and terminals. Global liner operators are seriously preparing to incorporate ports’ ability to participate in green corridors into their operational packages. Harmonized regulations across all markets are key to the large-scale implementation of CO2 storage systems on ships during their passage by sea, according to research conducted by DNV analysts and published in the February 2026 report.
Transparent and supportive legal regulations are crucial to enabling the large-scale implementation of onboard carbon capture and storage systems (OCCS). According to DNV experts, such comprehensive measures will contribute to the development of broader investments throughout the logistics chain related to the capture of liquid CO₂ (LCO₂-chain) stored on ships.
The report was commissioned by five leading container operators: CMA CGM, Evergreen, Hapag-Lloyd, Maersk, and MSC. These operators’ managers “view OCCS as a promising solution for decarbonizing [maritime transport – MG], in addition to the use of low-emission and zero-emission fuels.”
It should be noted that the regulatory condition for pilot projects related to the preparation of larger-scale CO₂ storage facilities has already been met in the EU. The basis for investments in CO₂ storage in Europe is the EU Directive on the Geological Storage of CO₂ – commonly known as the “CCS Directive.” It was introduced in 2009 and is in force in most Member States. This directive regulates the rules for the appropriate selection of CO2 storage sites and transport operations.
A system for capturing and using CO₂ from ships. Source: DNV
CO₂ in Poland and the EU
The EU Directive on the geological storage of carbon dioxide (2009/31/EC – CCS Directive) was implemented into Polish law, primarily through amendments to the Geological and Mining Law Act, in 2023, report Macin Bejm and Wojciech Szopiński on the CMS Low-Now website.
The Polish administration states that these decisions were made to halt global warming. It is assumed that it should not exceed 1.5°C by 2050. To this end, approximately 1.3 billion tons of CO₂ must be captured annually. The EU adopted the CCS (Carbon Capture, Storage) strategy in February 2024. It is part of the Industrial Carbon Management (ICM) strategy.
It is assumed that the ongoing investments should provide CO2 storage capacity of up to 50 million tons per year by 2030. By 2040, storage facilities should hold 280 million tons of CO2, and by 2050, 450 million tons of carbon dioxide should be stored.
CO2 in Polish ports and the Baltic Sea
CCUS Poland is actively promoting two strategic projects: the BaltiCO2Net project, which aims to create a multimodal, cross-border CO2 transport and storage infrastructure supporting the decarbonization of the Baltic Sea region, announced Szczepan Polak of Equinor ASA at a CCUS Poland information meeting last year.
The network encompasses 17 carbon capture initiatives and will provide transport infrastructure with a capacity of approximately 23 Mt of CO2 per year, spanning five EU member states. Seaports play a significant role in this project. It envisages the use of transshipment terminals, CO₂ transport by various means (pipelines, sea and land transport), and its storage in underground geological formations. The application to include BaltiCO2Net on the PCI list was submitted in December 2024.
The ECO2CEE project, which includes the Port of Gdańsk, was presented a year ago by Agnieszka Baran from ORLEN S.A. It is being implemented by a consortium of ORLEN S.A., Holcim Polska S.A., Air Liquide Polska Sp. z o.o., and ORLEN Lietuva S.A. Its goal is to develop CO₂ transport infrastructure in the Central and Eastern European region, with particular emphasis on the construction of a maritime transshipment terminal in Gdańsk. Holcim Polska claims that “the installation will eliminate approximately 10 million tons of CO₂ emissions from the atmosphere within 10 years.”
BaltiCO2Net Project – Concept: Source: CCUS Poland Association
Rotterdam – CO2 from Ship to Greenhouse
The report was created after the Port of Rotterdam Authority initiated a cluster of over 25 entities to ensure the development of the CO₂ capture and storage chain by establishing an OCCS logistics system. The port faced a challenge, as Rotterdam-based Value Maritime currently has over 30 on-board carbon dioxide (CO2) capture systems onboard its ships.
The captured CO2 is delivered to local greenhouses, where it is used in crop cultivation, reducing natural gas consumption. It is assumed that CO2 from ships can also be stored, and therefore a cluster of companies was formed to handle CO2 transport and storage.
For this reason, leading liner operators requested a comprehensive study on the topic, which they entrusted to DNV. The project focused on three areas. The physical chain for the production and storage of liquid CO₂ (LCO₂) was identified. CO₂ is captured from onboard combustion, liquefied, and transferred to LCO₂ receiving vessels in port.
Port tankers deliver CO₂ to (temporary) storage terminals in Rotterdam and Singapore. From the port tanks, the liquefied gas is transported to the final storage locations.
The CO₂ emission reduction process and the economic challenges in the downstream segment were also analyzed. The analysis was conducted using DNV’s GHG Pathway model to gain insight into emission reduction and transshipment opportunities based on the CO₂ logistics fleet. The report analyzes the CO₂ emission reduction potential and economic opportunities in the downstream segment of the OCCS segment. Regulatory requirements were also described. According to DNV, “Investments in capture installations, transport capacity and permanent storage facilities are only possible if the appropriate regulations are introduced at the right time.”
Pilot project in the service between Asia to Europe
To test the report’s findings, a pilot project is proposed on the Asia-North Europe trade route. DNV, as a next step, proposes that five shipowners test the feasibility of using the Asia-North Europe trade route as a test bed for a CCS onboard corridor. According to DNV, “This busy shipping route is suitable for large-scale OCCS implementation due to its high emissions, predictable sailing schedules, and CO₂ storage projects in Rotterdam and the Singapore area.”
The first tests on the proposed route have already been conducted. The stored CO₂ was unloaded from the ship in Rotterdam last year. The container ship Evergreen Ever Top (14,000 TEU) transferred 20 tons of liquid CO₂ to the quay. The same operation was carried out in Shanghai. Ever Top is the first container ship with a CO₂ capture installation. In the STS operation, the gas was transferred to the tanker Shanghai Qiyao Environmental Technology Co. (SMDERI-QET). The operation was carried out with the support of the Global Centre for Maritime Decarbonisation, Shanghai International Port, and Zhoushan Dejin Shipping Co. The gas was pumped to the specialized barge De Jin.
“This breakthrough in the STS operation solves a key industry challenge: flexible LCO2 transshipment without reliance on port infrastructure,” reads the ship operator’s statement, warning that “Land-based solutions face limitations in terms of port compatibility and vessel draft requirements.” According to DNV, “Pilot projects demonstrate that the technology is technically feasible, scalable, and safe.”
EU CO2 Projects Slowly Moving Forward
Advanced projects related to CO₂ capture, utilization, and storage are underway in the EU and EEA countries. Among the most important are Norway (Northern Lights), Denmark (Greensand), the Netherlands (Porthos), and the United Kingdom (HyNet). Therefore, liner operators have likely focused on participating in EU-funded projects promoting the decarbonization of maritime transport. The DNV report “aims to provide information on how CO₂ capture on board ships can contribute to emission reductions.”
The aim was also to identify economic issues relevant to shipowners, determine the potential of the technology, and establish the necessary and transparent legal framework related to CO₂ storage and transfer in ports. Ports and shipping lines must prepare today for operating in the logistics chain related to CO₂ reception and transport. It seems there is ample time to prepare and implement investments. Funds for pilot projects are certainly available. Instead of another conference on decarbonization in ports and another letter of intent, it is worth writing and implementing a serious project that will improve the competitiveness of the seaport on the global market.
CO2 HUB w Porcie Rotterdam. Źródło: Zarząd Portu Rotterdam