Wed 23 May 2012, 14:51 GMT

Study examines LNG as fuel for container ships


Joint study looks at the costs and benefits of using liquefied natural gas (LNG) as a fuel for container vessels.



Germanischer Lloyd (GL) and MAN SE have launched a joint advisory study that examines the costs and benefits of using liquefied natural gas (LNG) as a fuel for container vessels.

Using liquefied natural gas (LNG) as ship fuel has recently gained more attention not only in Europe, but also in Asia and the USA.

New, stringent regulations are forcing the shipping industry to rethink its fuelling options. Emissions controls, introduced by the IMO’s Marine Environment Protection Committee, combined with the introduction of emission control areas in European, U.S. and Canadian territorial waters, will have a profound impact on international shipping over the next ten years. LNG is an attractive alternative to conventional marine fuels.

Can the use of LNG as marine fuel help the industry to meet these challenges? In this web-special GL looks at this potentially game changing technology, informs about GL's own guidelines for gas as ship fuel and the development of rules and design concepts for LNG-fuelled vessels.

Ship owners interested in LNG as ship fuel are currently facing a number of questions regarding the costs and the possible benefits of using such technology.

They wish to learn whether exhaust gas treatment systems could be the preferred technical solution. At the same time, increasing ship efficiency with advanced waste heat recovery systems becomes feasible.

This suite of technologies is the focus of the GL and MAN joint study on container vessel power generation systems.


AuctionConnect and Asyad Shipping logos. Asyad Shipping adopts AuctionConnect digital bunker platform under three-year deal  

Middle East shipping company to implement auction-based procurement system across fleet operations.

Fuel for thought: LNG for Cruise report cover. LNG remains the most deployable decarbonisation option for cruise shipping, Lloyd’s Register report finds  

Classification society’s latest research examines the fuel’s role in the sector’s energy transition and pathway to net zero.

Dr. Ibrahim Muritala, ABS. ABS engineer to discuss performance-based hydrogen framework at SPE symposium  

Dr Ibrahim Muritala to join panel examining shift from colour-based hydrogen labelling to carbon intensity metrics.

Cosco Shipping Peony vessel. Cosco Shipping completes methanol dual-fuel retrofits on four ultra-large container vessels  

Chinese shipping line retrofits 20,000-teu and 13,800-teu vessels with methanol propulsion systems.

BW Lesmes alongside Levante LNG vessel. BW LNG vessel completes first gassing-up operation with bunker barge  

BW Lesmes transitions from drydock to cargo readiness using an LNG bunker barge.

Mark Bell, SGMF. LNG marine fuel shows up to 29% emissions reduction in new SGMF study  

Latest life cycle assessment shows improved methane slip control, with well-to-wake reductions of up to 25%.

Michelle McDade, Global Fuel Supply. Blue Energy Partners appoints Michelle McDade as head of operations  

McDade brings more than eight years of bunkering experience to the Oslo-based role.

Person signing a document. Venture Energy signs green methanol supply deal with Shenji Energy  

Hong Kong-based firm to purchase ISCC EU-certified biomass-derived methanol for shipping clients.

Steel cutting ceremony of vessel with builder's hull no. CHB2060. Changhong International begins construction on second 11,400-teu LNG dual-fuel container ship  

Chinese shipbuilder starts work on vessel CHB2060, second of 18-ship series for Oceanroutes.

Keel-laying ceremony of Celsius. Keel laid for LNG bunkering vessel Celsius  

Turkish shipbuilder begins construction of dual-fuel bunkering vessel for Sirius Shipping and Gasum.