U.S. Outlines Guidelines for LNG Bunkering

August 7, 2025--Written by Daniel Graeber for Industrial Info Resources (Sugar Land, Texas)--With shippers looking to clean up their act, the U.S. Coast Guard spelled out new guidelines for vessels looking to use liquefied natural gas (LNG) as an alternative fuel. Various protocols outlined by the U.N.-backed International Maritime Organization (IMO) call on shippers to move away from the heavily-polluting fuel oil commonly used today and embrace cleaner options ranging from wind to LNG. The U.S. Coast Guard issued new guidance for shippers that refuel, or bunker, with LNG. A policy letter for captains of port (COPT) seeks to account for the rapid expansion of alternative fuels, while noting the gaps in existing regulations covering bunkering in U.S. waters.