DNV has published a recommended practice establishing a framework for measuring and verifying the performance of onboard carbon capture and storage systems.
In the announcement of DNV-RP-0698, DNV pointed out that approximately 90% of the operational fleet remains dependent on fossil fuels. As a result, OCCS could provide an emissions reduction option for vessels where a transition to low-GHG fuels is not currently considered technically or economically viable.
The new framework sets out a standardised methodology for assessing system performance. Built around mass balance principles, it defines a series of performance metrics, including capture rate, captured CO2 quantity, emissions to atmosphere and gross capture efficiency.
DNV said the recommended practice is technology-neutral and can be applied to pre-combustion, post-combustion, oxy-fuel and other carbon capture approaches. It also includes a third-party verification process covering system documentation, measurement arrangements, performance calculations and uncertainty evaluation.
The recommended practice has been published as the International Maritime Organization develops guidelines for onboard carbon capture, with work expected to continue through to 2028.
Cristina Saenz de Santa Maria, CEO Maritime at DNV, said: ‘OCCS has potential as a pathway for a large part of the existing fleet, and that matters given how long many of those vessels will remain in service.
‘Our Maritime Forecast to 2050 estimates that developing CO2 offloading infrastructure at just 20 of the world’s largest ports could reduce total world fleet CO2 emissions by 9%. With this recommended practice, we want to give the industry a shared technical language, and in doing so, support further development of onboard carbon capture solutions.’
DNV said the framework is intended to provide a consistent basis for defining and verifying OCCS performance in both newbuild and retrofit projects, helping stakeholders assess system performance using a common methodology. The methodology is designed to account for overall system performance rather than focusing solely on captured CO2 volumes.
Chara Georgopoulou Head of Maritime R&D and Advisory Greece, DNV, said: ‘This recommended practice provides a structured way to account for the full performance picture, not just capture volume. It enables designers, yards, OCCS manufacturers, and owners to define and verify performance in newbuild and retrofit projects, supporting alignment between stakeholders early in system design and more informed investment and deployment decisions.’
