05 December 2023 – ERMA FIRST, a leading sustainable maritime solutions provider, has received Approval in Principle (AiP) from DNV for its amine absorption-based Onboard Carbon Capture (OCC) system.
DNV issued the AiP to ERMA FIRST following the successful completion of a technical review, risk assessment and review of the company’s feasibility study for Onboard Carbon Capture (OCC) on RoRo vessels. In doing so, the world’s leading classification society confirms that the proposed design is approved for installation onboard seagoing vessels.
The ERMA FIRST CCS system uses amine absorption technology and a proprietary amine solvent to absorb CO2 from flue gases. When heated, the chemical reaction that occurs reverses the absorption and separates the CO2 from the solvent. The CO2 that is released is subsequently liquified and stored under cryogenic conditions onboard and the regenerated solvent can be re-used, creating a highly efficient regenerative OCC process.
“As the maritime industry explores a range of decarbonization technologies, DNV is committed to supporting innovation and ensuring this is done safely. OCC can be a major contributor to emissions reductions and our guidelines for OCC provide a framework for developing exciting new solutions like this. With our extensive portfolio of advisory services we will continue to work closely with our customers in paving the way towards a more sustainable future in shipping,” said Mrs Chara Georgopoulou, Head of R&D and Advisory Unit Greece & Onboard CCS Manager, DNV Maritime.
Mr Konstantinos Stampedakis, Co-Founder & Managing Director, ERMA FIRST, said: “We are absolutely delighted to have received an Approval in Principle from DNV for ERMA FIRST’s OCC system. OCC systems promise to provide shipowners and operators with the ability to significantly reduce the volume of CO2 emitted in exhaust fumes and offer a viable solution to achieving the IMO’s emissions reduction targets.
“Our OCC system is set to be one of the first available to the market and this AiP represents a significant achievement for ERMA FIRST’s research and development team. We look forward to continuing to work with DNV as the project progresses and installing and operating a pilot system onboard a DNV-class vessel.”
ABOUT ERMA FIRST:
ERMA FIRST – From saving the oceans, to safeguarding the planet
Founded in 2009 and headquartered in Greece, ERMA FIRST is a leading manufacturer and provider of future-proof sustainable maritime solutions. The company’s robust systems and solutions ensure worldwide compliance, provide operational simplicity and reduce operational expenditure, while at the same time minimising the impact of ship operations on the environment.
ERMA FIRST’s customer-centric approach offers flexible and convenient servicing through a trusted network of certified engineers worldwide. ERMA FIRST provides sales, maintenance and training to clients via offices in 46 countries.
ERMA FIRST offers a complete range of solutions, including ballast water treatment (BWTS), Alternative Maritime Power (AMP), Energy Saving Devices (ESDs) and Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS).
ERMA FIRST won the Lloyd’s List Technical Achievement Award (2013 and 2023), the GREEN4SEA Technology Award (2016) and the GREEN4SEA Sustainability Award (2023).
