Classification society ClassNK has approved a design by Oshima Shipbuilding for a bulk carrier that is both alternative fuel and onboard carbon capture ready.

The approval in principle confirms that the design is feasible from both a regulatory and safety standpoint, ClassNK said in a statement on its website on Thursday.

The bulk carrier concept is designed to run on alternative marine fuels such as ammonia, methanol, and LNG, as well as for the installation of onboard CO2 capture and storage (OCCS) systems.

The classification society said it will continue to support shipping’s decarbonisation efforts through safety assessments and the development of rules for emerging technologies.

Interest in onboard carbon capture has been increasing as shipowners look for ways to reduce emissions from existing vessels. The technology works by capturing CO2 from a ship’s exhaust gases, offering a potential retrofit option to cut emissions while longer-term fuel transitions are still underway.