DNV signs off on ship-based CO2 injection for Atlas project

DNV has issued a Statement of Feasibility for a ship-based CO₂ transport and offshore injection concept that Aker BP and Höegh Evi are developing for the Atlas carbon storage project on the Norwegian Continental Shelf — a design that could remove onshore terminals and cross-border pipelines from the CCS chain entirely.

The numbers behind the concept are substantial. Atlas is designed to inject up to 6 million tonnes of CO₂ per year initially, against an estimated total storage capacity of 150 million tonnes. Aker BP is targeting the start of injection operations in 2031 — though, as with everything in this project, that date is subject to future investment decisions.

How would the transport chain work?

Under the proposed system, captured CO₂ from European industrial facilities would be collected, processed and liquefied at a floating terminal before shuttle carriers move it to the offshore storage site. The terminal is designed to hold between 40,000 and 80,000 cubic metres of intermediate storage, while individual shuttle carriers could transport up to 50,000 cubic metres of liquefied CO₂ per voyage.

At the Atlas site, offshore transfer equipment and subsea pipelines would inject the CO₂ directly into the reservoir. If proven at commercial scale, the concept eliminates three costly pieces of conventional CCS infrastructure: new onshore facilities, cross-border pipelines and permanent offshore structures. That is the promise. The caveat is that DNV itself flagged technical challenges and uncertainties — it simply concluded they were manageable at the current development stage.

What did DNV actually assess?

DNV's assessment focused narrowly on the offshore infrastructure required to transfer CO₂ from vessels into subsea injection wells. The evaluation used the classification society's technology qualification methodology. It follows earlier Approvals in Principle covering Höegh Evi's liquefied CO₂ carrier design and its floating CO₂ reception and conditioning terminal concepts.

This matters for shipping: a feasibility statement from DNV is an early-stage assurance, not a final design approval. It de-risks the engineering case for would-be cargo owners and financiers, but no steel has been committed.

Who is paying, and when?

The ownership structure is clear-cut. Aker BP holds an 80% interest in the Atlas storage licence; ORREN holds the remaining 20%. In October 2026, Aker BP and Höegh Evi secured €223 million in support from the EU Innovation Fund for the proposed cross-border CO₂ transport and storage network. That money is not yet banked — it remains subject to a Final Investment Decision, currently targeted for 2028.

For European emitters, the commercial significance is straightforward. A ship-based injection model could open storage on the Norwegian Continental Shelf to industrial capture sites across Europe without waiting for pipeline politics or permitting cycles. For carriers and shipyards, each new shuttle carrier at 50,000 cubic metres represents a specialised newbuild segment still in its infancy.

Is there a second application?

Aker BP is already looking beyond Atlas. The company says the concept could also be considered for its Poseidon CO₂ storage licence on the Norwegian Continental Shelf, where a similar subsea development approach is under evaluation.

So the pattern is forming: floating terminals, shuttle carriers, subsea injection wells, and no fixed onshore footprint. DNV has said the engineering is feasible; the €223 million EU grant and the 2028 Final Investment Decision will tell whether the economics hold.