With alternative green fuels not yet available at scale, Maritime Onboard Carbon Capture Technologies (OCCS) are rapidly emerging as a vital compliance pathway for the shipping industry. According to a June 2026 report by the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) and Lloyd’s Register Advisory, OCCS is one of the few near-term options capable of delivering material tank-to-wake emissions reductions for vessels operating on conventional fuels through the 2030s. As shipowners grapple with tightening greenhouse gas regulations, carbon capture offers a pragmatic bridge strategy.
The OCCS landscape is shifting from a niche concept to a credible decarbonization tool, backed by strong 2026 regulatory and commercial signals:
- Regulatory Clarity: The International Maritime Organization (IMO) at MEPC 83 approved a formal work plan to establish an OCCS regulatory framework by 2028.
- Technology Readiness: A February 2026 European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA) report highlights that over 25 manufacturers are active in the market, with chemical absorption and mineralization leading in pilot installations.
- Commercial Piloting: In April 2026, NYK and Hokkaido Electric Power initiated a three-year demonstration project on a commercial carrier to test end-to-end capture and downstream offloading.
Despite technological advancements, experts at the Global Centre for Maritime Decarbonisation (GCMD) noted in May 2026 that the primary challenges are now scale, accounting credibility, and cross-border integration. Establishing robust Measurement, Reporting, and Verification (MRV) protocols is essential. Furthermore, port-side offloading capabilities remain underdeveloped; downstream infrastructure requires standardized procedures that most congested terminals currently lack. Resolving these logistical bottlenecks will dictate whether OCCS becomes a mainstream solution.
References
- ICS: Onboard Carbon Capture and Storage Review (June 2026)
- IMO: Technical Seminar on OCCS Systems
- GCMD: Scaling Carbon Capture at Sea (May 2026)
- EMSA: Onboard Carbon Capture Technologies (Feb 2026)
- Lloyd’s Register Advisory: Downstream Offloading Constraints
- NYK & HEPCO: OCCS Demonstration Project MoU (April 2026)
