HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering said on the 30th it has signed a construction contract with Japanese shipping company MOL (Mitsui O.S.K. Lines) for two 12,000 ㎥ liquefied carbon dioxide (LCO₂) carriers. The ships will be built at HD Hyundai Heavy Industries in Ulsan and delivered sequentially by the second half of 2029.
The vessels won this time measure 150 meters long, 28 meters wide and 15 meters high, making them the world's largest mid-pressure liquefied carbon dioxide carriers. They are equipped with a cargo handling system that can safely transport liquefied carbon dioxide and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG).
They are fitted with eco-friendly LNG dual-fuel propulsion engines, and an Ice Class design allows safe operations even in polar environments such as the North Sea.
HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering won orders for a total of four liquefied carbon dioxide carriers in 2023 and 2024, and successfully delivered the first ship to the shipowner earlier this year. The remaining vessels will be deployed to the carbon capture and storage (CCS) project operated by Northern Lights JV in Europe.
The project is the world's first cross-border commercial CCS service that transports carbon dioxide captured in Europe to a terminal in Norway and stores it in the subsea strata of the North Sea.
According to DNV, the global fleet of liquefied carbon dioxide carriers is projected to expand to 41 ships by 2030, 124 by 2040 and 270 by 2050.
An official at HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering said, "In the liquefied carbon dioxide carrier segment, where market expansion is expected, we have secured both low- and mid-pressure storage technologies, enabling us to actively meet customer needs and continue to win orders," adding, "Based on the industry's best technology and construction experience, we will successfully build high-quality vessels and contribute to the global decarbonization trend."