Emerging carbon capture and storage joint venture Northern Lights is poised to order its next two specialist vessels as its ambitions grow.

TradeWinds has been informed by multiple sources that the company, which comprises a grouping of Norway’s Equinor alongside energy majors Shell and TotalEnergies, is close to concluding orders for two 12,000-cbm liquefied CO2 carrier newbuildings.

These vessels are substantially larger than the first pair of LCO2 carriers of 7,500 cbm, which were contracted by the project partners at Dalian Shipbuilding Industry Co.