Bernhard Schulte Shipmanagement (BSM) has taken over management of its first liquefied carbon dioxide (LCO₂) carrier, marking the company's entry into a segment with only four such vessels currently in operation worldwide.

The vessel, named Northern Purpose, was christened on 19 May at Dalian Shipbuilding Offshore (DSOC) in China. Following delivery, it will enter long-term service supporting the Northern Lights carbon capture and storage (CCS) project, transporting liquefied CO₂ from industrial customers in northwest Europe to Norway for permanent geological storage. It is described as the world's first cross-border CO₂ transport and storage infrastructure.

BSM said it was involved from an early stage in preparing for the operational requirements of the vessel type, drawing on its experience in managing gas carriers and complex tanker operations while developing internal capabilities for the segment.

The vessel has a cargo capacity of 7,500 cbm, distributed across two cylindrical pressure tanks engineered to handle CO₂ at low temperatures and medium pressure.

Northern Purpose is equipped with an LNG dual-fuel propulsion system, a wind-assisted rotor sail and an air lubrication system.

During sea trials, systems including the rotor sail were said to have been tested under various conditions.

The Northern Lights project aims to develop CCS value chains by providing infrastructure for the transport and permanent geological storage of captured carbon dioxide.