U.S. LNG-CO2 Bidirectional Maritime Supply Chains Under Proposed U.S.-Flag Shipping Objectives: Strategic Value Chain and Technical Implications

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🔬研究者:Provides a detailed feasibility model for LNG-CO2 bidirectional shipping, including vessel design and cost analysis.

🏢実務担当者:Useful for logistics planners and CCS project developers considering integrated maritime solutions.

🏛政策担当者:Highlights how maritime regulations can impact CCS deployment and LNG trade competitiveness.

Global energy systems are transitioning to balance energy security with greenhouse gas emission control. Liquefied natural gas (LNG) serves as a key transitional fuel, influenced by evolving trade rules and decarbonization goals. A proposed U.S. maritime policy mandates that LNG exports increasingly use U.S.-built and U.S.-flagged vessels, starting at 1% in 2028 and reaching 15% by 2047. While intended to strengthen domestic shipbuilding and maritime employment, this mandate may affect global LNG trade flows, vessel availability, and cost competitiveness. To improve fleet utilization under these constraints, this study investigates the technical and economic feasibility of a bidirectional maritime supply chain that integrates outbound LNG exports with inbound transport of captured CO2 for offshore geological sequestration. Moreover, implications for fleet strategy, logistics, and infrastructure investment are also assessed herein. A case study is developed for LNG shipments from the U.S. Atlantic coast coupled with return transport of captured CO2 from European industrial emitters to offshore storage in the South Carolina basin. The analysis evaluates dual-purpose vessel concepts capable of cryogenic LNG transport outbound and pressurized or cryogenic CO2 transport inbound, with attention to cargo containment systems, safety standards, and operational flexibility. Regulatory frameworks governing international CO2 transport and U.S.-flag requirements are examined to identify compliance pathways and cost impacts, while the storage capacity of the South Carolina offshore basin is assessed to confirm sequestration suitability. Economic analysis compares bidirectional shipping with conventional LNG transport, accounting for vessel utilization rates, capital and operating cost differentials associated with U.S.-built vessels, and potential revenue from carbon pricing or emissions offset mechanisms. Results indicate that bidirectional LNG-CO2 shipping can enhance fleet efficiency and support large-scale carbon management; however, the U.S.-flag requirement may increase construction and operating costs, constrain shipyard capacity, and delay deployment of specialized vessels, thereby affecting LNG export competitiveness and the pace of CO2 transport integration. Co-location of LNG export terminals and carbon capture and storage infrastructure can partially offset these challenges through shared facilities and reduced port handling costs, which can improve overall economic viability.

• semanticscholar https://doi.org/10.4043/36983-msfirst seen 2026-05-15 17:37:35