China’s Dalian Shipbuilding Industry (DSIC) has launched Northern Lights JV’s two LNG-powered liquefied CO2 carriers.
The joint venture consisting of Equinor, Shell, and TotalEnergies, said on Wednesday that the two 7,500-cbm ships have officially been launched and successfully transferred from the dry dock to the harbor.
Northern Lights expects to welcome the two vessels to Norway later this year.
DSIC also announced the launching of the vessels, Northern Pioneer and Northern Pathfinder, in a separate statement on Wednesday.
A spokesperson for Northern Lights previously told LNG Prime that the “first two ship contracts were awarded to DSIC but they are built by DSOC as a contractor.”
A total of four LNG-powered LCO2 vessels will serve Northern Lights to transport liquefied CO2 from its customers based in Norway, Denmark, and Netherlands, to Northern Lights’ CO2 receiving terminal in Oygarden, Norway, from where the CO2 will be injected into the offshore reservoir for safe and permanent storage.
Japan’s shipping giant K Line recently entered into a charter contract with the JV for a third LNG-powered liquefied CO2 vessel.
This follows the formerly signed contracts for managing the first two LCO2 ships in Northern Lights’ four ship fleet.
In December 2023, Northern Lights also signed a charter deal with Bernhard Schulte for a new LNG-powered CO2 carrier. The ship will be the fourth in line to the sister ships.
The JV expects to take delivery of the third vessel in 2025, while the fourth will be delivered in 2026.
All of the vessels will have LNG dual-fuel propulsion.
Besides LNG power, the 130 meters long vessels will feature a wind-assisted propulsion system and air lubrication in order to reduce carbon intensity.