CCS on Ships – Exploring Carbon Capture as a Practical Solution for Maritime Emissions

The CORNET project “CCS on Ships” looked at a new option: carbon capture and storage (CCS) directly onboard ships.

Objective: A Clearer Picture of What’s Actually Feasible

Instead of focusing on a single technology pathway, the project aimed to understand and compare multiple carbon capture methods and how well they could be integrated on real ships.

The research team — Ruhr University Bochum, TU Freiberg, and LEC GmbH — worked with detailed simulation models to evaluate:

• Which CCS technologies work best in marine settings?
• How much extra energy would be needed?
• How could the systems fit into existing ship engines and operations?
• What would CO₂ storage and offloading look like in real ports?

Key Findings

• Amine-based post-combustion systems (like MDEA/PZ) showed the best balance of performance and practicality. On river cargo vessels, fuel consumption increased by only around 7 %, which is seen as acceptable.
• Other options, such as membranes or cryogenic separation, turned out to be far less efficient, with fuel penalties exceeding 50% – 100 %, making them unsuitable for near-term use on ships.
• The ability to reuse engine waste heat proved essential. Ships with higher exhaust temperatures (such as those with four-stroke engines) could run capture systems more efficiently.
• In one example, a container ship with thermal integration cut its CO₂ avoidance cost from € 301 to € 158 per ton, while improving the overall CO₂ capture rate.
• Safe storage and handling of CO₂ on board is technically manageable - provided that proper systems are in place for liquefaction, purification, and transfer in ports.

Why This Matters for Industry

The project delivered practical insights for a wide range of stakeholders - from engine manufacturers to port operators:

• Technology decision support for different ship types
• Reduced development risk through validated models and system concepts
• New market potential in capture units, CO₂ storage tanks, port handling equipment, and system integration

Companies like Robert Bosch GmbH, which chaired the project committee, were able to apply the results directly to their internal evaluations — not just for ships, but also for future stationary systems.

Collaboration and What Comes Next

The project benefited from the collaboration between German and Austrian partners, whose complementary expertise in thermodynamics, engine systems, and process engineering enabled a comprehensive and well-rounded assessment.

While a follow-up project for a technical demonstration has not yet been implemented, the topic continues to be actively developed. The FVV (German Research Association for Combustion Engines) initiated a CCS/CCU ideation workshop in late 2024, where several new project ideas are currently being prepared.

At the same time, the IMO has formally acknowledged CCS as a possible pathway for decarbonising maritime transport, and classification societies have begun defining standards for onboard systems. This project has contributed valuable input to these developments.

 “CCS on Ships shows that onboard carbon capture is a technically feasible and scalable bridge solution for achieving meaningful emission reductions in the maritime sector long before synthetic fuels reach global availability. By combining advanced modelling, practical integration studies, and cross-industry collaboration, the project provides a roadmap toward deployable maritime CCS systems.” – Project consortium