Trends in carbon capture and storage for maritime decarbonization: a global bibliometric perspective and research outlook

Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) is increasingly recognised as a key decarbonisation strategy for the maritime sector in response to tightening International Maritime Organisation (IMO) regulations. This study presents a bibliometric and comprehensive review of maritime-related CCS research based on 124 Scopus-indexed documents. Bibliometric analysis using VOS viewer reveals a sharp increase in publications after 2021, with China, the United Kingdom and the Netherlands as leading contributors. Three dominant research themes are identified: digital simulation and modelling, compact onboard CCS system design and environmental assessment using Life Cycle Analysis (LCA). Onboard CCS technologies—such as solvent-based systems, VTSA units and LNG-integrated waste heat recovery—emerge as the primary focus, while offshore CCS studies mainly address CO₂ transport and geological storage feasibility. Simulation tools, including ASPEN HYSYS and GIS-based models, are widely applied for performance optimisation. LCA results indicate that maritime CCS can deliver significant net GHG reductions, particularly when integrated with low-carbon fuels. Key challenges include energy penalties, retrofitting constraints and infrastructure limitations.