These ships, alongside their sister vessels Northern Pioneer and Northern Pathfinder, are powered by liquefied natural gas (LNG) and designed to transport CO2 safely across borders to permanent storage units under the North Sea. The steel cutting ceremony for the third vessel was held in June 2024, marking the start of construction. This 7,500 cubic meter LCO2 carrier is to be delivered with a wind propulsion system from Finnish rotor sail manufacturer Norsepower and will be operated by Japanese shipping company Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha (K Line).
The booking for this newbuild was placed by Northern Lights in 2023. The keel laying ceremony for the fourth unit took place in December 2024, a year after the order was placed. The first vessel of the fleet, Northern Pioneer, completed sea trials in September 2024 and was ready for delivery by the end of November. It is also managed by K Line. Northern Pathfinder was christened in mid-June 2025 and will be operated by K Line Energy Shipping (UK) Limited once formally handed over.
Northern Lights is recognized as the world’s first company to offer commercial CO2 transport and storage as a service. Its CO2 receiving terminal in Øygarden, Norway, was completed in September 2024 and has been operational since, accepting shipments from Norwegian and European industries. The project is part of Norway’s Longship initiative, which aims to establish a full-scale carbon capture and storage (CCS) value chain.
The Longship project includes the construction of the CO2 receiving terminal, subsea pipelines, installations, wells, intermediate storage tanks, and supporting onshore facilities. Northern Lights’ growing LCO2 fleet plays a central role in enabling safe, low-emission carbon transport to storage sites, supporting Norway’s climate strategy and the global development of CCS infrastructure.
The recent launches from DSIC mark an important milestone in the expansion of the Northern Lights fleet, demonstrating China’s shipbuilding capabilities in specialized low-emission vessels and reinforcing international collaboration in carbon capture and storage solutions. The LNG-powered carriers with integrated wind propulsion systems represent an innovative approach to reducing the environmental footprint of CO2 transport while ensuring operational safety and efficiency.
With the four vessels in service or under construction, Northern Lights is positioned to provide a reliable CO2 transport solution for Europe’s industrial sector, strengthening the overall CCS value chain and contributing to Norway’s efforts to achieve long-term carbon storage and emission reduction targets.
