Yinson Production and Provaris have signed a memorandum of understanding with Chinese fabricator Himile Heavy Equipment. The agreement focuses on assessing the fabrication of Provaris's proprietary liquefied carbon dioxide tanks at Himile's Rushan manufacturing site.

Objectives of the Collaboration

The MoU runs parallel to an ongoing front-end engineering and design contract for the LCO2 tanks. Its primary goals are to determine the ease of manufacturing, cost, and delivery timelines, which are deemed critical for developing floating storage and injection units and the broader carbon capture and storage value chain. Specifically, the work will involve the preliminary design of a detailed robotic production facility and a cost estimate for fabricating the tanks.

Roles and Development Timeline

Yinson is expected to support studies on transporting the tanks from Rushan to selected shipbuilders and integrating them into FSIUs under development. The collaboration is described as vital for translating advanced tank design into scalable, industrialised fabrication. The FEED studies, fully funded by Yinson, began in August and include a class approval process with DNV. Approvals for the tanks are targeted by mid-2026, following detailed design and testing. Yinson is responsible for selecting and negotiating with shipbuilders, with joint discussions on the LCO2 containment system underway with selected Asian builders.

Context and Himile's Expansion

The partnership follows a joint development agreement and the establishment of a joint venture between Yinson and Provaris last year. A launch meeting for this latest MoU was held in mid-January at the Rushan facility, with an estimated timeline for first tank deliveries to be determined. Himile Heavy Equipment is part of the Himile Group, which recently secured marine area usage approvals for a new offshore fabrication yard in Qidong. This facility, expected to be operational mid-year, is forecast to fabricate 200,000 tonnes of modules annually and is intended to position Himile as a contender for international engineering, procurement, and construction contracts.