Shanghai completes world-first CO2 transfer between ships at sea

Shanghai has achieved a global first by completing the world’s inaugural ship-to-ship transfer of captured liquid CO₂ at sea, marking a significant advancement in maritime decarbonization. On June 19, 2025, the Panamanian-flagged container ship EVER TOP offloaded its onboard captured carbon dioxide directly onto another vessel, the Dejin, at the Shengdong Terminal of Yangshan Deepwater Port without relying on port infrastructure or pipelines. This operation follows EVER TOP’s 2023 milestone of the first ship-to-shore CO₂ transfer at the same port. The vessel is equipped with an Onboard Carbon Capture and Storage (OCCS) system developed by the Shanghai Marine Diesel Engine Research Institute, which captures over 80% of the ship’s CO₂ emissions at 99.9% purity. The ship-to-ship transfer method offers substantial logistical and economic advantages over traditional land transport, enabling mid-voyage offloading in open water or sheltered sea lanes and facilitating the