Coalition to Promote LNG as Marine Fuel

Leading marine industry players have formed a coalition, known as SEA/LNG, to accelerate the widespread adoption of LNG as a marine fuel. The coalition aims to help break down the barriers hindering the global development of LNG in marine applications, thereby improving the environmental performance of the shipping industry.

The partners include Wärtsilä, Carnival Corporation, DNV-GL, ENGIE, ENN Group, GE Marine, GTT, Lloyds Register, Mitsubishi, NYK Line, Port of Rotterdam, Qatargas, Shell Downstream and Tote. Each member organization commits mutually agreed human resources, data analysis and knowledge sharing in support of the SEA/LNG initiatives and activities.

LNG offers significant environmental advantages for shipping compared to heavy fuel oil (HFO), which remains the predominant fuel used today. By comparison with HFO, NOx emissions are cut by approximately 85 percent, SOx emissions are almost completely eliminated since natural gas contains no sulfur, and particle production is practically non-existent, thanks to the efficient combustion of natural gas, a fuel with almost no residuals.

The main areas of focus for the coalition include supporting the development of LNG bunkering in major ports, educating stakeholders as to the risks and opportunities in the use of LNG fuel and developing globally consistent regulations for cleaner shipping fuels.

Explaining the coalition’s objective, Peter Keller, chairman of SEA\LNG and executive vice president of TOTE Inc., said: “We recognize the need to work closely with key players across the value chain, including shipping companies, classification societies, ports, major LNG suppliers, downstream companies, infrastructure providers and original equipment manufacturers to ensure an understanding of the environmental and performance benefits of LNG as a marine transport fuel. SEA\LNG aims to address market barriers and help transform the use of LNG as a marine fuel into a global reality.”

Leo Karistios, gas technology lead, Lloyd’s Register added: “LNG fuelled shipping has mainly been for the visionaries and, until now, concentrated in specialist ship sectors – short sea shipping and ferries, mainly sailing between two fixed ports. We want to help drive the expansion of LNG as a marine fuel of choice, with not just more short sea and local ships burning gas, but also the deep sea trades.”