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The construction of the first CO₂ carrier built in Europe has crossed a decisive threshold with the successful installation of its deck hatches at the Wagenborg terminal in Delfzijl. For an industry watching carbon transport capacity as closely as vessel availability, this moment carries weight far beyond the quay.
The four steel hatches now seal and protect the vessel’s CO₂ tanks, each designed to handle liquid carbon dioxide under strict safety and containment standards. Together, they cover tanks with a total capacity of approximately 5,000 tonnes of liquid CO₂, positioning the vessel firmly within Europe’s emerging carbon capture and storage logistics chain.
Precision logistics from Emden to Delfzijl
The deck hatches were manufactured at a shipyard in Emden, Germany, under the supervision of Royal Niestern Sander, the Dutch yard responsible for building the vessel. On Monday, January 19, Wagenborg loaded the oversized components onto the pontoon Wagenborg Barge 15 before towing them across to Delfzijl.
The following day, the operation shifted to the Wagenborg terminal. Two mobile cranes, one rated at 500 tonnes and the other at 100 tonnes, discharged the four hatches from the pontoon and positioned them temporarily on the quay. For heavy lift professionals, this intermediate step is often where complexity quietly peaks. Space, sequencing, and timing all matter.
Once the pontoon cleared the berth, the CO₂ carrier Carbon Destroyer 1 was shifted alongside the quay. Using the same cranes, crews lifted each hatch from the terminal and carefully installed them onto the vessel. Every movement required close coordination between crane operators, rigging teams, terminal staff, and shipyard supervisors.
A vessel designed for carbon logistics
Installing the deck hatches marks more than a visual milestone. These structures are critical to maintaining tank integrity and ensuring the safe transport of liquefied CO₂ at sea. In practice, this step allows the ship’s internal systems and machinery to move closer to commissioning.
Over the coming weeks, the vessel will undergo further outfitting, including the testing and commissioning of onboard systems. According to the current schedule, sea trials are planned for March, a timeline closely watched by stakeholders involved in European carbon transport infrastructure.
Why does this matter now? Carbon capture projects depend not just on capture and storage sites, but on reliable maritime links between them. Without ships purpose built for CO₂ transport, the chain breaks.
Supporting the Greensand project
The CO₂ carrier has been developed to serve the Greensand project, a cross border carbon capture and storage initiative designed to transport captured CO₂ for offshore storage in the North Sea. By enabling safe and efficient maritime transport of liquefied CO₂, the vessel becomes a floating link between industrial emitters and permanent storage sites.
For project cargo and maritime professionals, the operation in Delfzijl offers a clear example of how traditional heavy lift expertise is being applied to new climate driven cargo flows. Oversized components, tight tolerances, and zero margin for error. The tools are familiar, but the cargo is not.
As Europe accelerates investment in carbon capture and storage, the installation of these deck hatches signals that CO₂ transport is moving from concept to operational reality.
