Europe will need 65 CO2 carriers and 33 ports by 2050 to move captured carbon to storage sites

A new report from energy consultancy Xodus says Europe will need a dedicated fleet of about 65 CO2 carriers and 33 ports by 2050 to transport captured emissions from industrial sites to offshore storage. Captured volumes are expected to grow from 70 million tonnes per year in 2030 to 320 mtpa by 2050. While pipelines will handle high-volume corridors, shipping will provide flexible cross-border connections, with the volume carried by ship more than doubling to 79 mtpa by mid-century. The report screened roughly 850 European ports and identified up to 60 that are well positioned to serve as emitter or storage hubs. Key locations include the Port of Rotterdam, Humberside, and Liverpool Bay. The technology for moving CO2 already exists, proven in the LPG industry and in projects like Northern Lights. The challenge now is scaling investment in ports and vessels to meet the 2030 target of 22 ships and the 2050 target of 65 ships, each averaging 15,000 tonnes capacity.