MOL Group signs offtake deal to purchase 10,000 tonnes of CDR credits from Alt Carbon

Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Ltd (MOL) and Alt Carbon, a Carbon Dioxide Removal (CDR) company, announced a landmark deal to permanently remove 10,000 tons of co2

SAN FRANCISCO, CA, UNITED STATES, April 25, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Ltd. (MOL) and Alt Carbon, a Carbon Dioxide Removal (CDR) company, announced a landmark multi-year deal to permanently remove 10,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. In a first-of-its-kind CDR offtake deal between Japan and India, Alt Carbon will generate high quality, durable, permanent carbon removal tons from its flagship, Darjeeling Revival Project (DRP), in the Eastern Himalayas.

The deal with MOL will help accelerate scientific research in Alt Carbon’s newly opened D-CAL (Darjeeling-Climate Action Lab), and scale its field sampling and MRV (Measurement, Reporting & Verification) systems — a vital step toward advancing high-integrity, durable, and traceable carbon removals in India. Research & Development in removing carbon dioxide from a novel pathway like Enhanced Rock Weathering (ERW) is critical to meet net-zero goals advocated by The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).

The offtake also reflects the growing momentum in the Japan–India business corridor, where climate innovation, infrastructure, and technology partnerships take center stage. MOL has been expanding its footprint in India for over two decades, with operations spanning maritime services, logistics, and infrastructure. With MOL deeply embedded in Japan’s industrial ecosystem, and Alt Carbon building the climate infrastructure in India, the offtake signifies a new wave of climate cooperation, bridging capital and carbon removal, from the Eastern Himalayas to Tokyo Bay.

“MOL’s commitment to decarbonisation is an early stand in climate leadership. As the global shipping industry races to meet the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) 2050 net-zero targets, carbon removals are critical. MOL has been ahead of the pack and marks the next frontier of climate accountability in global shipping. By participating in scaling CDR, MOL Group is not only helping us reduce costs, but also reduce Scope 3 emissions for its own partners. Building comparative business advantage, while fuelling innovation is going to be crucial to the success of our fight against climate change. The deal also sets a new catalytic signal between Japan and India in scaling climate tech, and demand for science-based carbon removals are going to grow exponentially in the coming months,” said, Shrey Agarwal, Founder & CEO, Alt Carbon

The offtake agreement builds on MOL’s “BLUE ACTION 2035” management plan which sets a clear roadmap to achieve net-zero targets by 2050. To address any residual emissions, MOL plans to utilize carbon dioxide removal (CDR) solutions, demonstrating a comprehensive approach to decarbonization and environmental stewardship.

“Partnering with Alt Carbon allows MOL to support promising, science-backed pathways for carbon removal in the Global South regions. We are committed to pioneering environmental initiatives that align with our vision for a decarbonized society,” said Daisuke Fujihashi, General Manager, Carbon Solution Development Unit of MOL.

Alt Carbon partners with farmers to spread Hari Mati (a proprietary combination of organic inputs and silicate-rich amendments), and undertake soil and ground water fingerprinting across multiple years, measuring carbon removal through our proprietary Measuring, Reporting and Verification (MRV) methods.

In order to keep warming to 1.5°C, IPCC scenario forecasting implies we need to remove CO2 at gigaton scale by 2050. Alt Carbon’s aim is to make South Asia the world’s frontier for climate action, by scaling up Carbon Removal in India to 1 billion tons by 2040.

Alt Carbon employs an IPCC-approved carbon removal method called Enhanced Rock Weathering. This process not only improves crop yields, it simultaneously removes carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. The process involves spreading the silicate-rich Hari Mati on Darjeeling’s heritage tea estates. The hot, wet & humid climate speeds up the silicate’s natural reaction with rainwater, pulling CO2 from the atmosphere & transforming it into stable bicarbonate ions. Over time, these bicarbonates travel through rivers to the ocean, where they stay locked away for over 10,000 years.


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Notes to the editor
Media images can be found here.
For further information please contact the Alt Carbon press office: Adithya Venkatesan on adithya@alt-carbon.com

About MOL
Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Ltd. (MOL) is one of the world’s leading ocean shipping companies, headquartered in Tokyo with a global fleet that spans dry bulkers, tankers, LNG carriers, and containerships. With a history of over 140 years, MOL is deeply committed to sustainable growth through its “BLUE ACTION 2035” strategy, focusing on decarbonization, digital transformation, and social responsibility. As a key enabler of global logistics, MOL is pioneering next-generation maritime solutions to drive the transition to a net-zero future.


About Alt Carbon
Alt Carbon is a co2 Removal (cdr) company based out of India transforming Darjeeling’s struggling tea industry from being at-risk from the effects of climate change, to becoming pioneers for climate action. Alt Carbon is on a mission to capture vast amounts of CO2 from the atmosphere. Its ambitious goal is to remove 5M MT of CO2 by 2030, with the ultimate aim of reaching a billion tons - for good. For more information please visit https://www.alt-carbon.com/

Adithya Venkatesan
Alt Carbon
adithya@alt-carbon.com
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mol group signs offtake deal to purchase 10,000 tons of cdr credits from alt carbon