NYK Joins DecarbonICE Project

Japanese shipping giant Nippon Yusen Kaisha (NYK Line) has joined the international DecarbonICE project that will be conducting a feasibility study to capture onboard carbon as dry ice and store it in seafloor sediments.

The shipping industry is looking for carbon-free solutions to achieve the IMO 2050 target of a 50% CO2 emissions reduction (compared to the 2008 level). In response, new zero-carbon solutions are being developed around the globe, including alternative low-carbon fuels such as LNG fuel that can be used in place of heavy oil.

The DecarbonICE project was launched on October 1 by the Denmark-based Maritime Development Center, which has teamed with global shipping companies (including NYK), shipbuilders, and others to conduct a feasibility study on solutions to onboard carbon capture and storage, and to initiate discussions on environmental impact assessments and the IMO-approval process for the technology.

During the study, CO2 in the ship exhaust will be captured on board in a cryogenic process and turned into dry ice. It will then be transported into seafloor sediments during normal ship operations. There, the CO2 will be safely and permanently stored as liquid CO2 and CO2 hydrate.

The NYK Group is dedicated to achieving the SDGs through the group’s business activities and its medium-term management plan “Staying Ahead 2022 with Digitalization and Green.” NYK will continue its efforts to reduce CO2 emissions through initiatives such as the introduction of new technology and fuel conversion.