Climeworks and Mitsui O.S.K. Lines Forge Carbon Removal Partnership to Accelerate Maritime Decarbonization

Climeworks, a global pioneer in carbon removal via Direct Air Capture (DAC), has announced a strategic partnership with Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL), one of the world’s largest shipping companies, to remove 13,400 tons of carbon dioxide from the catmosphere by 2030.

This landmark agreement makes MOL Climeworks’ first partner in the shipping industry and first customer from Japan, an indication of the country’s growing leadership in carbon removal markets.

A Dual Agreement for Immediate Action and Future Investment

In addition to the carbon removal offtake agreement, Climeworks and MOL have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) exploring MOL’s potential investment in Climeworks’ upcoming DAC projects. These developments are part of Climeworks’ roadmap to reach million-ton carbon removal capacity within the 2030s.

MOL’s forward-looking collaboration signals its intent to participate in scaling next-generation carbon removal infrastructure, aligning with global climate targets and setting a precedent for the maritime sector.

Decarbonizing Shipping: From Clean Energy to Carbon Removal

MOL’s commitment supports the International Maritime Organization’s goal of achieving net-zero emissions by 2050. While the company is investing in clean energy adoption, energy efficiency, and operational innovation, it also plans to remove 2.2 million tons of CO₂ by 2030, making carbon removal an essential pillar of its strategy.

Hisashi Umemura, Senior Executive Officer of MOL, said, “At Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, we’re committed to navigating toward a net-zero future. Contributing the expansion of high-integrity carbon removal credits, driven by Climeworks’ state-of-the-art Direct Air Capture technology, empowers us to address emissions that are hard to eliminate through conventional methods.”

He added. "This is not just an investment in carbon removal but an investment in the future of sustainable shipping.”

Also read: DKSH and Klimate Partner to Advance CO₂ Removal and Net-Zero Goals

Addressing Hard-to-Abate Emissions in Maritime Shipping

Unlike the automotive sector, where electric vehicles provide a clear path to decarbonization, the shipping industry faces more complex technical and logistical barriers. Direct Air Capture technologies offer a viable way to compensate for unavoidable emissions from maritime operations, positioning carbon removal as a critical tool in the sector’s sustainability efforts.