A historic ship called the MV Northern Purpose arrived at Port Louis. This special ship is one of the world’s first vessels designed to carry liquid carbon dioxide (CO₂) to help protect our planet and reduce global warming.

The ship was built in China and is managed by Bernhard Schulte Shipmanagement (BSM). It has stopped in Mauritius for fuel on its first voyage toward Europe, where it will join the “Northern Lights” project to clean up industrial pollution.

The goal of this ship is to stop greenhouse gases from entering the sky and trapping heat. By trapping carbon dioxide, the ship helps control global warming and severe weather changes.

While CO₂ does not directly destroy the ozone layer (la couche d’ozone), extreme climate change can upset the natural balance of our atmosphere. Keeping our climate stable helps protect the ozone layer, which shields the Earth from dangerous sun rays.

The ship works as a moving bridge to trap and hide pollution safely:

• Capture:Big factories in Europe (like cement and chemical plants) trap their CO₂ gas before it leaves their smokestacks.
• Treatment:The gas is cleaned, cooled down, and pressed until it turns into a liquid.
• Transport:This liquid CO₂ is loaded into the MV Northern Purpose. The ship has special insulated tanks that keep the liquid cold and stable, so it does not turn back into gas.
• Storage:The ship unloads the liquid in Norway. From there, it is pumped through pipes and buried 2.6 kilometers deep under the seabed. It is locked away safely under heavy rock forever.

The MV Northern Purpose is also designed to protect the environment while it travels. It uses three green technologies to save fuel and cut down its own emissions:

1. Cleaner Fuel:It can run on Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG), which is much cleaner than traditional ship fuel.
2. Wind Power:It has a tall “rotor sail” that uses the wind to help push the ship forward.
3. Air Bubbles:It blows tiny air bubbles under the ship to help it slide smoothly through the water with less friction.

The arrival of the MV Northern Purpose shows that ports around the world, including Port Louis, must prepare for the future. Ports will soon need to handle new types of green fuels and learn how to safely manage liquid gas cargoes. This ship proves that the maritime industry is taking major steps to protect our planet.