Lloyd’s Register (LR) has published a report examining the role of liquefied natural gas (LNG) in the cruise sector, concluding that the fuel remains the most readily deployable decarbonisation option for the segment despite continued concerns over methane emissions.

The report, Fuel for Thought: LNG for Cruise, was launched on 14 April at Seatrade Cruise and sets out an evidence-based assessment of how LNG is already improving air quality and emissions performance in cruise shipping.

LR notes that LNG is now the most widely adopted alternative fuel in the cruise sector, both in the in-service fleet and in the orderbook. The report attributes this to the availability of LNG at scale, backed by global bunkering infrastructure and compatibility with existing safety and regulatory frameworks.

The study examines LNG’s full lifecycle performance, including well-to-wake emissions, treatment under International Maritime Organization (IMO) and European Union (EU) rules, and the economic effects of emerging compliance mechanisms such as the IMO Net-Zero Framework and FuelEU Maritime.

LR said tackling methane slip remains critical to LNG’s longer-term credentials and pointed to ongoing progress through improved engine designs, onboard abatement technologies and verification methods.

The report also stresses the importance of recognising upstream improvements in LNG production and supply. According to LR, certification of lower-emissions LNG and the growth of bio-LNG could significantly reduce greenhouse gas intensity, provided regulatory frameworks evolve to reflect real-world performance and support investment across the value chain.

Francesco Ruisi, LR’s VP global passenger ship segment director, said: “For cruise operators, the report positions LNG not as an endpoint, but as a practical enabler of the industry’s decarbonisation pathway.

“With cruise ships operating in a highly visible and tightly regulated environment, the need to reduce emissions today while retaining the flexibility to adopt future fuels and technologies remains a critical consideration.”

The publication forms part of LR’s wider Fuel for Thought series, which provides technical insight into alternative fuels shaping shipping’s transition to lower-carbon operations.