Northern Phoenix Joins Northern Lights CO₂ Fleet
Northern Phoenix, the third liquefied carbon dioxide (LCO₂) carrier for the Northern Lights CO₂ project in Norway, has officially been blessed and is now entering final preparations and commissioning ahead of operations.
China’s Dalian Shipbuilding Industry (DSIC), part of China State Shipbuilding Corporation (CSSC), delivered the LCO₂ carrier to the Northern Lights joint venture (JV)—comprising Shell, Equinor, and TotalEnergies—in December 2025.
Naming Ceremony in Bergen
The naming ceremony took place at Festningskaien in Bergen, where the vessel was blessed by Linn Hamre, one of the first Northern Lights employees. She was selected through an internal initiative to appoint a godmother from within the organization.
Role in CO₂ Transport
Northern Phoenix will transport captured CO₂ from Yara to the receiving terminal in Øygarden, where it will be stored beneath the seabed. The vessel is now moving into its final preparation and commissioning phase ahead of full operations.
“With our first two ships already in operation, Northern Phoenix marks the next step in scaling our CO₂ shipping capacity. We look forward to continuing to grow our fleet and enabling safe and reliable CO₂ transport across Europe,” said Tim Heijn, Managing Director of Northern Lights JV.
Technical Specifications
The vessel features:
- Cargo tank capacity of 7,500 cubic meters (cbm)
- Overall length of 130 meters
- Breadth of 21 meters
Its cargo transport conditions allow for a maximum pressure of 19 bar(g) and a minimum temperature of -35°C.
Low-Carbon Technology Integration
While powered primarily by LNG, the LCO₂ carrier is equipped with low-carbon technologies, including a wind-assisted rotor sail and air lubrication system.
A fourth vessel is also underway, with its keel-laying ceremony held in December 2024, one year after the shipbuilding order was placed.
Northern Lights Project Milestone
To recall, Equinor, Shell, and TotalEnergies successfully injected and stored the first CO₂ volumes as part of the Northern Lights project in August 2025. This milestone marked the start of operations for what is considered the world’s first third-party CO₂ transport and storage facility.
