Europe will need a fleet of 65 ships for CO2 by 2050 to support CCUS growth, Xodus finds

Europe needs a specialized fleet of around 65 ships for transporting CO2 and a network of 33 ports by 2050 to support the large-scale deployment of carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) technologies, according to a new study conducted by energy consultancy Xodus.

The study, prepared by Xodus on behalf of the Zero Emissions Technology Centre (NZTC) and supported by EBN, the Port of Rotterdam, Gasunie, and Offshore Energies UK, examined the infrastructure needed to transport captured CO2 from industrial emitters across Europe to offshore storage sites.

The report forecasts that captured CO2 volumes will grow from 70 million tonnes per year (Mtpa) in 2030 to 320 Mtpa by 2050. While pipelines are expected to play an increasingly dominant role over time, shipping is projected to remain a critically important part of the transport network, carrying around 79 Mtpa of CO2 by 2050, more than double the current forecasts for 2030.

Researchers analyzed around 850 ports across Europe and identified up to 60 locations that could play a role in the collection, export, or reception of captured emissions. Of these, around 33 ports are expected to form the main transport network by mid-century, including about 23 export hubs and 10 import and storage hubs.

Major industrial regions such as Rotterdam, Humber, and Liverpool Bay have been highlighted as likely centers for future carbon transport and storage.

The study concludes that the CO2 transport network in Europe is likely to evolve into a hybrid system, where pipelines will serve major industrial corridors, and shipping will provide flexible cross-border transport and access to offshore storage for regions where pipelines are less economically viable.

Cost modeling identified the North Sea as the main carbon storage destination in Europe by 2050, with the UK, Netherlands, and the wider North Sea sector expected to receive significant volumes of imported CO2 from across the continent.

“Most of the technologies needed to move captured carbon around Europe already exist. They have been proven over decades in the liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) industry and are now being used in projects like Northern Lights. The challenge now is scaling up,” said James McCarraugh, global head of CCUS at Xodus.

The report estimates that by 2030, around 22 specialized CO2 vessels will be needed, increasing to approximately 65 vessels by 2050, based on an average capacity of 15,000 tonnes per vessel.

“This study highlights the strategic importance of infrastructure for scaling CCUS across Europe. As demand for offshore storage grows, the North Sea is well positioned to serve as a central hub for a connected, cross-border CO2 transport and storage system,” added Ian Martin, CCUS technology manager at NZTC.