Major UK and European ports will ship captured CO₂ to permanent storage sites in the North Sea, helping to cut industrial emissions.

New agreements will see LBC Tank Terminals, Associated British Ports (ABP), North Sea Port and Denmark’s Port of Esbjerg collaborate to develop carbon capture and storage (CCS) terminals and a shipping corridor linking north-western Europe with the UK. The aim is to provide scalable solutions that help decarbonise heavy industry.

Shipping is emerging as a key element of CO₂ transport. According to S&P Global, shipping volumes of CO₂ could reach tens to hundreds of millions of tonnes a year by 2050. 

Captured carbon from industrial processes is transported to a port where it is liquefied and stored in dedicated handling terminals. It is then shipped over long distances for permanent sequestration or utilisation. It is seen as more economically viable than building pipelines. 

ABP, the largest port operator in the UK, said it already has planning approval for a CCS handling terminal at Immingham in Lincolnshire. Captured CO₂ from industrial emitters will be delivered to this terminal, where it enters the Viking CCS cluster — a major UK CCS project in the Humber region. From there, it will be transported to depleted gas reservoirs in the North Sea for permanent storage.

Henrik Pedersen, chief executive officer of ABP, said: “Ports have always been gateways for energy. Today, they are at the forefront of the energy transition. This agreement is about building the infrastructure and partnerships needed to decarbonise industry and create new opportunities for sustainable growth. 

“It paves the way for the UK to utilise its world-leading geological assets to provide near-term options for emissions reductions across Europe and realise significant export potential for the UK.”

The agreements will focus on three areas:

• Designing port infrastructure for CO₂ handling, storage and shipping.
• Building a robust value chain for CO₂ transport between ports and infrastructure asset owners.
• Driving innovation and efficiencies in CCS-related transportation.

Cas König, CEO of North Sea Port, a cross-border port authority spanning the Netherlands and Belgium, said: “Our sustainability ambition is clear: a net zero port by 2050. To this end, we are creating connecting infrastructure with our partners.

“Leveraging our shared port infrastructure and maritime expertise, we aim to cut costs, accelerate deployment, and ensure the energy transition strengthens – not weakens – Europe’s industrial competitiveness.” 

Esbjerg is central to the Greensand CCS project, a major initiative in the Danish North Sea that aims to become the EU’s first fully operational offshore CO₂ storage facility for captured CO₂. Construction began in May 2025 on the port’s CO₂ transit terminal, which will include six 1,000-tonne holding tanks for liquefied CO₂.

Dennis Jul Pedersen, CEO of the Port of Esbjerg, said: “Europe is at the beginning of a new reality where CCS will play an increasingly important role in supporting investment and jobs in critical industrial and energy sectors. Collaboration is key to unlocking the potential of carbon shipping. By partnering with ABP, Esbjerg aims to create scalable solutions that support Europe’s decarbonisation ambitions and strengthen the role of ports in the green transition.”