Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Ltd. (MOL) and The Kansai Electric Power Co., Inc. (KEPCO) today announced the signing of a service agreement to conduct feasibility research on the design of a liquefied CO2 carrier at shipyards in Japan and overseas.

MOL and KEPCO Sign Service Agreement on Development of Liquefied CO2 Carrier Design for CCS Value Chain

The detailed research and study of the carbon dioxide capture and storage (CCS) value chain, including shipyards, is a pioneering effort for other business operators that emit CO2.

The agreement follows the completion of an initial joint study on liquefied CO2 transport, based on a memorandum of understanding (MOU) between the two companies, by which MOL and KEPCO have been jointly studying the optimal system for ocean transport and storage of liquefied CO2, targeting CO2 emitted from KEPCO's thermal power plants to establish a CCS value chain.

Under the service agreement, the companies will conduct the studies of an optimal ship size for the CCS value chain to be constructed by KEPCO, with the aim of realizing ocean transport of liquefied CO2.

The companies will accelerate actions toward the realization of a zero-carbon society through full-scale surveys and studies aimed at the realization of liquefied CO2 vessels, which will play a key role in the development of the CCS value chain.