Singapore based Global Centre for Maritime Decarbonisation (GCMD) has announced two regulatory milestones for Project CAPTURED, strengthening the commercial case for onboard carbon capture and storage (OCCS) in shipping. The initiative follows the world’s first demonstration of an end to end value chain for onboard captured and liquefied CO2, completed in June 2025.
What EU ETS recognition means for shipping
The CO2 captured onboard during the pilot has been formally recognised for compliance under the European Union Emissions Trading System. Verified tonnage of captured CO2 can now be deducted from emissions requiring surrender of EU Allowances, provided the CO2 is chemically bound permanently in eligible products. Project CAPTURED showed this can be achieved through carbon mineralisation, converting captured CO2 into stable materials for industrial use.
IMO backs carbon mineralisation as storage pathway
Data from the same pilot informed a proposal to MEPC 84, which received in principle support from the International Maritime Organization to recognise carbon mineralisation as a form of permanent CO2 storage, complementing geological sequestration already accepted by the IMO.
Project outcomes and next steps
The pilot maintained CO2 purity above 99.95 vol percent at all custody transfer points, achieving a 7.9% net GHG reduction at a 10.7% gross capture rate, with an optimised value chain projected to deliver 17.8% savings. GCMD coordinated 11 partners, including SMDERI-QET, Evergreen Marine Corp, Zhoushan Dejin Shipping, and Greenore/Baorong. GCMD CEO Professor Lynn Loo said the milestones give captured CO2 compliance value and turn the pilot into a verified reference case for maritime carbon logistics.
