Seven Japanese Companies Won ABS Approval for LCO2 carrier designs

Seven of Japan’s leading companies in shipping and shipbuilding have won an approval from class society ABS for two liquid carbon dioxide (LCO2) carrier designs.

The American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) has awarded approval in principle (AiP) to two liquid carbon dioxide (LCO2) carrier designs with type-C cargo tanks that do not require performing post-weld-heat-treatment based on the demonstration of an engineering critical assessment.

The giant Japanese companies Mitsubishi Shipbuilding Co., Ltd., Nihon Shipyard Co., Ltd., Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha, Ltd., Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Ltd., Nippon Yusen Kabushiki Kaisha, Mitsui & Co., Ltd., and Mitsubishi Corporation worked together for the LCO2 carrier designs.

ABS reviewed the drawings based on class and statutory requirements for the two designs.

The two designs – a 50K cubic meter carrier and a 23K cubic meter carrier – are featuring type-C cylindrical tanks made of carbon manganese steel that stows the liquefied CO2 with low-temperature and low-pressure.

As it is reported by the class society ABS, this approval is the result of extensive cooperation within a joint development project on the detailed design development, considering LCO2 critical characteristics.

“The safe transportation of CO2 plays a vital role in the carbon value chain, and ABS is proud to use our expertise as the world’s leading classification society for gas carriers to support this sector of the global energy transition,” said John McDonald, ABS president and COO.