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Northern Phoenix Completes Blessing Ceremony, Joins Northern Lights CO2 Shipping Fleet

By MGN EditorialApril 10, 2026 at 12:44 AM

The Northern Phoenix, third liquefied CO2 carrier for Norway's Northern Lights carbon storage project, has completed its naming ceremony in Bergen and is preparing for operational service. The 130-meter vessel will transport captured CO2 for subsea storage, with a fourth carrier already under construction.

## Northern Phoenix Ready for CO2 Shipping Operations The Northern Phoenix, the third liquefied CO2 (LCO2) carrier built for the Northern Lights joint venture, completed its official blessing ceremony at Festningskaien in Bergen, marking a significant milestone for Norway's carbon capture and storage initiative. Delivered from China's Dalian Shipbuilding Industry in December 2025, the vessel represents continued momentum for the Northern Lights project—a partnership between Shell, Equinor, and TotalEnergies focused on scaling CO2 transport and permanent subsea storage. Linn Hamre, an early Northern Lights employee, served as the ship's godmother in the ceremony. ### Vessel Specifications The Northern Phoenix features a 7,500 cubic meter cargo tank capacity optimized for liquid CO2 transport. The 130-meter-long, 21-meter-wide vessel operates at a maximum pressure of 19 bar(g) and minimum temperature of -35°C, with twin engines running on liquefied natural gas for primary fuel. The carrier incorporates advanced sustainability features including wind-assisted rotor sails and air lubrication systems to reduce operational emissions. ### Operational Role The vessel will transport captured CO2 from the Yara production facility to the Northern Lights receiving terminal in Øygarden, where the CO2 is injected for permanent subsea storage beneath the North Sea. According to Managing Director Tim Heijn, "With our first two ships already in operation, Northern Phoenix marks the next step in scaling our CO2 shipping capacity." Construction momentum remains strong, with a fourth carrier already under keel-laying, completed in December 2024. The expanding fleet reflects growing demand for cost-effective CO2 transport solutions as European industrial emitters seek compliance pathways for carbon reduction targets.
#LCO2 carrier#carbon capture#Northern Lights#CO2 shipping#vessel delivery#subsea storage#offshore energy

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