The marine transport major Mitsui OSK Lines has started to examine possibilities of the developing infrastructures to export LCO2 and the hydrogen production business at KN’s own terminal located in Klaipeda Port, Lithuania, in collaboration with Larvik Shipping of Norwegian LCO2 transport ship control company (LS) and Klaipedos Nafta (KN).

The promotion of decarbonize or low-carbonization measure is an urgent issue also in Lithuania. As part of measures for solution, CCUS is deemed to be a prospective means for solution. Furthermore, “Lithuania Hydrogen Platform” has been established to deal with the development of hydrogen technologies in collaboration of the national research institution and private companies, in which KN participates as a member.

The three companies will jointly tackle two subjects of Establishment of “Value Chain to transport large-volume LCO2” and “Production of hydrogen from LNG source” which may be utilized in the CCUS Project planned at the Port of Klaipeda.

In the former project, CO2 discharged from the countries along the coast of Baltic Sea is liquefied and delivered from the KN’s own terminal operated in Klaipeda Port to the site of storage by ship.

As the place to compress CO2 is presumed to be off North Sea and United Kingdom, they intend to utilized the know-how of LS which has the world-foremost experiences in the CO2 transportation and has recently been affiliated in the Mitsui OSK Lines Group.

In the latter project, they plan to produce blue hydrogen originated from the LNG most of which is unloaded at the terminal for consumption in Lithuania. With this they intend to cope with the expanding demand of hydrogen as an energy, and at the same time to aim for reducing CO2 emission by shifting to CCUS the CO2 by-produced in the production process of hydrogen.

Regarding the sea transportation of liquefied CO2, Mitsui OSK points out saying, “It will be most important factor to develop a vessel capable to transport safely a substantial volume of CO2. We shall need larger ships than those controlled by LS at present, but we shall have to make a new proposal to have vessels loaded with a tank storing at a lower pressure than before, controlling the wall thickness for weight-saving purposes. We post up a target and wish to obtain an order in a year or two.”

As for the production of hydrogen, Mitsui OSK says, “We have in mind an aim to supply hydrogen to H2 stations and power stations, but there are a lot of items yet to consider including the production and transportation means. The theme will be discussed from now on mainly with KN which is a member of Hydrogen Platform now.”