Spanish technology developer Sener has rolled out a fresh design for a bunker tanker capable of both delivering fuels to and removing captured CO2 from vessels in an effort to decarbonise the maritime sector.

Sener said it has finished the conceptual design of a bunker vessel that can carry heavy fuel oil, very low sulfur fuel oil, biofuels and marine gas oils, and that can also store the captured CO2 from its own operations and vessels it visits.

The company told TradeWinds that the design can store 120-cbm of its own generated CO2 and take on the same amount from vessels in the area — a capacity that could be doubled.

The aim is to encourage the capture of the CO2 in the area of operations, and so help reduce emissions locally, the company said, adding that it had used its experience in the naval sector to develop the design.

The bunker tanker design features an emission reduction and management system made up of a CO2 capture and storage system, a selective catalytic reduction system — to convert nitrogen oxides into diatomic nitrogen and water with help from a catalyst — and a sulfate cleaning system.

The company said the design aims to allow shipowners to choose different propulsion alternatives such as conventional, diesel-electric or hybrid ones along with open, closed or mixed scrubbers and CO2 capture systems.

Sener said the design also includes different technical economic configurations to help shipowners select the best alternative based on their priorities and needs, such as costs, ease of installation on board, or safety.