KRISO's Efforts in Technology Development and IMO Affairs for Onboard Carbon Capture

Abstract

In July 2023, at the 80th session of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC), the "2023 IMO GHG Strategy" was adopted, envisioning net zero international shipping by or around, i.e. close to, 2050. While the use of carbon-neutral fuels such as green methanol and green ammonia is inevitable to fulfill the increased IMO GHG reduction targets, the current development of ship technology and fuel supply chains emphasizes the need to introduce onboard carbon capture technology. At the 81st meeting of the MEPC in March 2024, there was a consensus among many Member States on the necessity of onboard carbon capture technology, and a Correspondence Group (CG) was established to develop a work plan for a relevant IMO regulatory framework, which is currently under discussion. Since 2023, the Korea Research Institute of Ships and Ocean Engineering (KRISO) has been conducting an internal research project on the development and demonstration of onboard carbon capture technology. This presentation describes the onboard CO2 capture system, exhaust gas pretreatment system, captured CO2 onboard liquefaction system, and captured gas storage system being developed by KRISO, along with a pilot demonstration plan for the integrated capture system. Currently, there is no IMO regulation recognizing the CO2 reduction effect of onboard carbon capture technology. In the future, integrating the GHG reduction effect of this technology into the IMO regulatory framework is crucial for its commercialization. Therefore, this presentation also covers the status of the Correspondence Group (CG) on onboard carbon capture, emphasizing the need for international cooperation in discussing the IMO regulatory framework.