SMC’s parent company Bernhard Schulte orders its first liquid CO2 tanker

The Schulte Group’s ship owning arm Bernhard Schulte announced the expansion of its fleet portfolio by ordering its first liquid CO2 tanker. The newbuilding project will be executed at Dalian Shipbuilding Offshore (DSOC), China and will feature innovative technologies significantly reducing its carbon footprint. Vessel’s delivery is planned in 2026, with commercial commitment long-term time charter agreement with Northern Lights to support the development of the world’s first cross-border liquid CO2 transport and storage infrastructure.

The newbuilding ordered now is the first ship of this type for the Bernhard Schulte fleet and the fourth liquid CO₂ carrier for Northern Lights. Northern Lights – the joint venture between Shell, TotalEnergies and Equinor, has already ordered three vessels, two under construction at DSOC and third one ordered in September this year.

“Ordering this vessel is an exciting step in the expansion of Bernhard Schulte’s fleet portfolio in an innovative future tanker segment. We are looking forward to becoming part of this Northern Lights industry leading project to provide CO₂ transport and storage infrastructure. We are furthermore delighted to have Dalian Shipbuilding Offshore as our selected partner in this endeavor. The Schulte Group has long-standing relationships with Chinese shipyards, which is a strong foundation for this outstanding project,” says Ian Beveridge, CEO of Bernhard Schulte.

All four ships are sister vessels with the same vessel design and have a cargo capacity of 7,500 m³. Custom-built for transportation of liquid CO2, these ships are the first of their kind and will safely transport liquid CO₂ from Northern Lights’ customers across Northwest Europe to the CO₂ receiving terminal at Øygarden, Norway before permanent geological storage.

“This deal marks another major milestone for us. Carbon capture system is a safe and efficient way to handle emissions and it is critical to meet climate targets. We are excited to see Bernhard Schulte now entering the liquid CO₂ business, as strong partnerships are required to succeed. We have strong belief in the tripart collaboration between Northern Lights JV, DSOC and Bernhard Schulte,” says Børre Jacobsen, Managing Director of Northern Lights.

Northern Lights is developing a ship-based liquid CO₂ transport solution and has implemented innovative technologies in the ship design to reduce the CO₂ emissions from shipping. The primary fuel for the ships will be LNG. Combined with other proven technologies, such as wind-assisted rotor sail and air lubrication, the ships will have around 34% lower carbon footprint compared to conventional ships running on marine fuel.

“As the most experienced offshore yard in China, we are glad to form such first-ever cooperation relationship with Bernhard Schulte and jointly provide our services to contribute Northern Lights CCS projects. DSOC is confident to deliver the vessel on time with highest quality and HSE standards. It is indeed a great honour to be part of this collaboration by providing our Liquefied CO₂ transportation solutions,” says Yingzhi Sun, President of DSOC.

Facts about the ship

• Capacity: 7,500 m³liquid CO₂
• Two cylindrical cargo tanks
• Length: 130 meters
• Cargo transport conditions: maximum 19 bar(g) pressure and minimum -35°C temperature
• 34% lower carbon footprint than ships on conventional fuel
• LNG Dual Fuel, wind-assisted rotor sail and air lubrication

Our title image shows the signing of the newbuilding contract for Bernhard Schulte’s first CO₂ ship. On the left we see Ms. Dongqing He, Representative of Bernhard Schulte (and Commercial Director of Schulte Marine Concept) and on the right, Mr. Yingzhi Sun, President of DSOC.