LNG Can Help Shipping Sector Significantly Reduce Emissions

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Written by Martin Lynch, European News Editor for Industrial Info (Galway, Ireland)--Liquefied natural gas (LNG) can provide a significant reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions for the international shipping industry as it faces strict emissions legislation coming into force next year.

A new independent study by consultant Thinkstep has revealed that the use of LNG as marine fuel could achieve a reduction of greenhouse gas of up to 21% when compared with conventional oil-based marine fuels, or heavy fuel oil (HFO), over the entire life cycle from Well-to-Wake (WtW). The study was commissioned by the SEA\LNG coalition of shipping companies, classification societies, ports, major LNG suppliers, LNG bunkering companies, infrastructure providers, engine makers and original equipment manufacturers.

Shipping companies will have to comply with new International Maritime Organization standards--IMO 2020--next year, which will require the marine sector to reduce sulphur emissions by more than 80%. The Life Cycle GHG Emission Study on the Use of LNG as Marine Fuel also found that emissions of other local pollutants, such as sulphur oxides (SOx), nitrogen oxides (NOx) and particulate matter (PM), are close to zero when using LNG compared with current conventional oil-based marine fuels.

Commenting on the report, SEA\LNG Chairman Peter Keller stated: "The Life Cycle GHG Emission Study is a long-awaited piece of the 'LNG as a marine fuel' puzzle. It not only confirms what we already knew in terms of LNG's immediate impact on air quality, human health and its cleanliness, but clearly highlights the genuine, substantiated GHG benefits of using today's marine engines capable of burning natural gas. Moving from current heavy fuel oil to LNG does reduce GHG emissions. LNG does contribute to the International Maritime Organisation GHG reduction targets. And it is clear that LNG is the most environmentally friendly marine fuel that is readily available and safe, both today and in the foreseeable future."

On an engine technology basis, the absolute WtW emissions-reduction benefits for LNG-fuelled engines compared with HFO-fuelled ships today are between 14% to 21% for two-stroke slow speed engines and between 7% to 15% for 4-stroke medium speed engines. SEA/LNG highlighted that 72% of the marine fuel consumed today is by two-stroke engines, with a further 18% used by four-stroke medium speed engines.

Chad Verret, chairman of the Society for Gas as a Marine Fuel (SGMF) board and study partner, added: "LNG is safe to use, fully compliant and readily available as a marine transport fuel. Standards, guidelines and operational protocols are all in place to ensure that the safe way is the only way when using gas as a marine fuel. LNG meets and exceeds all current and 2020 marine fuel compliance requirements for content and emissions, local and GHG. With the world LNG bunker vessel fleet doubling in the next 18 months and those vessels being deployed at major bunkering hubs, LNG as a ship fuel is rapidly becoming readily available."

The European Union has identified LNG as an important vessel fuel and requires all major ports in Europe to provide LNG by 2025. Many ports, like the Port of Gothenburg in Sweden, have completed bunkering projects and are actively promoting LNG as a marine fuel by offering large port discounts to LNG ships.

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