Project CAPTURED advances regulatory pathways for onboard CO2 capture in shipping

Project CAPTURED has secured two key regulatory wins for onboard carbon capture and storage (OCCS) in shipping. The EU ETS now accepts deductions for captured CO2 against vessel emissions, provided the CO2 is permanently bound through carbon mineralization. The IMO also gave in-principle support for recognizing carbon mineralization as permanent storage, expanding options beyond geological sequestration. The pilot demonstrated a full value chain: CO2 captured onboard was offloaded ship-to-ship, transported overland, and converted into stable materials. The captured CO2 maintained purity above 99.95% at all transfer points. A life cycle assessment showed a 7.9% net GHG reduction at a 10.7% gross capture rate, with potential savings of 17.8% in an optimized setup. These milestones turn a technical demo into a regulatory reference case. They give captured CO2 compliance value under the EU ETS and open a pathway for using captured CO2 as industrial feedstock, not just waste. This matters for shipping companies looking to reduce their carbon liability and for the broader maritime carbon logistics chain.