Northern Pioneer arrives in Norway and activates the CO2 transport chain

The “Northern Pioneer”, the world’s first commercial vessel designed to transport liquefied CO₂ , has arrived in Stavanger, Norway, marking a key step forward in Northern Lights’ value chain. With a carrying capacity of 8,000 tonnes of CO₂, the 130-metre vessel is set to begin operations in 2024.

The role of the Northern Pioneer in European decarbonisation

The ship will play a key role in the safe transport of captured CO₂ from industrial sites in Europe to the Northern Lights receiving terminal in Øygarden, Norway. From there, the CO₂ will be permanently stored 2,600 metres below the seabed . This operation is part of the Longship project, which was initiated by the Norwegian Parliament in 2019.

Northern Lights JV, a partnership between Equinor, TotalEnergies and Shell, is the first company to offer commercial carbon capture and storage (CCS) services. With agreements already signed with Yara (Netherlands) and Ørsted (Denmark), the company is consolidating a reliable transport and storage network to support Europe’s decarbonisation goals.

Technical details and next steps

The “Northern Pioneer” is the first of four sister vessels specially designed for the transport of liquefied CO₂. Registered in Norway and managed by Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha, Ltd. (“K” LINE), the vessel will shortly be heading to the reception facility in Øygarden for commissioning.

Tim Heijn, Managing Director of Northern Lights JV, commented that this is a significant step in building the world’s largest CO₂ transport fleet , and that it also reinforces its commitment to offering a reliable value chain for industrial decarbonisation in Europe.

The ship also received the blessing of Tina Bru , former Norwegian Minister of Petroleum and Energy, who has been a key figure since the unveiling of the Longship project.

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Source and photos: Northern Lights JV