MOL Becomes First Japanese Operator to Commercially Install Onboard CO₂ Capture System

Tokyo - April 22, 2024

Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Ltd. (MOL; President & CEO: Takeshi Hashimoto) today announced that it has decided to equip its LR1 product tanker Nexus Victoria (75,000 DWT class) with the "Filtree System," an onboard CO₂ capture system with a SOx scrubber (Note 1) manufactured by Value Maritime B.V. (VM) (Note 2), a Dutch emission reducing technology company. This marks the first time a Japanese operator has commercially installed a CO₂ capture system onboard a vessel. The system is slated for installation around the end of 2024.

The Filtree System has a scrubber function that removes 99% of sulfur oxides (SOx) and particulate matter (PM) contained in exhaust gases and a carbon capture and storage (CCS) function that separates and recovers up to 10% of CO₂ from the exhaust emissions. CO₂ in the exhaust gases generated onboard the vessel is adsorbed and captured by reacting with a special chemical substance. The chemical will be discharged ashore, and the heat-separated CO₂ can be supplied to greenhouses, synthetic fuel companies and other end users before being put to good use.


Process of CO₂ capture onboard the vessel, unloading, sale to consumers, and recycling.   Image by MOL.


LR1 product tanker Nexus Victoria.   Image by MOL.

The MOL Group has positioned its environmental strategy as a key element of its "BLUE ACTION 2035" management plan, and set the target of achieving net zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2050 in the "MOL Group Environmental Vision 2.2." The Filtree System is a technology that separates and captures CO₂ emitted from the vessel and is expected to be an effective means of carbon neutralization in the shipping industry. This system is noteworthy as an initiative to promote decarbonization of existing vessels, which are difficult to convert to next-generation fuels. MOL and VM will continue working toward the realization of a carbon-neutral society by reducing GHG emissions from vessels and building a CO₂ capture value chain.

From the blue oceans, the MOL Group will contribute to the sustainable development of society and the preservation of nature, sustain people's lives, and ensure a prosperous future, by expanding business upstream and downstream in the CCS/CCUS value chain, acquiring projects, and accelerating the development of the value chain.

(Note 1) What is an SOx scrubber?
A system that removes sulfur oxides (SOx) from exhaust gas. The use of this system achieves compliance with SOx emission regulations stipulated by international treaties without requiring the use of low-sulfur fuels.

(Note 2) About Value Maritime
A Dutch emission reducing technology company established in 2017 that develops CO₂ capture technologies for ships. With a vision of contributing to the overall sustainability of the shipping industry by reducing the GHG footprint (a measure of how much GHG is produced by goods and services), the company helps shipowners and operators improve their competitiveness. The official website: https://valuemaritime.com/

Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Ltd. press release