On 22 November 2024 Dalian Shipbuilding Industry Co Ltd hosted a ceremony to commemorate the readiness of the newly constructed liquefied CO₂ carrier, Northern Pioneer, for delivery to Northern Lights JV DA (Northern Lights).
This vessel is an important component of the world’s first full-scale carbon capture and storage (CCS) value chain project and will be managed by ‘K’ LINE LNG Shipping (UK) Ltd., a London-based subsidiary of Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha, Ltd. (‘K’ LINE).
Northern Pioneer will transport liquefied CO₂ from a capture facility in Norway to Northern Lights’ receiving terminal in Øygarden, western Norway. Under bareboat and time charter contracts, ‘K’ LINE and Northern Lights are collaborating on three of the four vessels ordered for the project, including Northern Pioneer.
Aligned with ‘K’ LINE Environmental Vision 2050, the group is advancing initiatives to support both its own decarbonisation goals and those of society. Leveraging expertise from advanced liquefied CO₂ transportation projects, ‘K’ LINE aims to contribute to a sustainable society while enhancing corporate value.
“This is a great moment for Northern Lights and the CCS industry,” said Tim Heijn, Managing Director of Northern Lights. “Today, we celebrate that the full transport and storage chain of Northern Lights CO₂ is ready. Northern Pioneer and her sister ships will enable flexible and scalable CO₂ transport across Europe.”
Yukikazu Myochin, President and CEO of ‘K’ LINE, added: “We are delighted to achieve this significant milestone for the Northern Lights value chain. Drawing from our extensive experience in operating liquefied gas carriers, the “K” LINE Group is committed to contributing to Europe’s decarbonisation efforts through the safe and reliable transportation of liquefied CO₂.”
