By investing in LNG-fuelled vessels now, ship owners can realise immediate GHG benefits – up to 23% on a full lifecycle Well-to-Wake basis, including the impact of methane emissions.

In combination with efficiency measures being developed for new ships in response to the IMO’s Energy Efficiency Design Index (EEDI), LNG provides a way to meet the IMO’s decarbonisation target of a 40% decrease by 2030 for international shipping.

Longer-term LNG offers a decarbonisation pathway for shipping to become carbon-neutral through the use of liquefied biomethane (bio-LNG) produced from biomass and liquefied e-methane (e-LNG) produced from renewable electricity.

Liquefied biomethane and e-methane are scalable solutions for the maritime sector, with estimated sustainable global supplies potentially exceeding the demands of shipping in the future, and likely to be commercially competitive relative to other low- and zero-carbon fuels. Further, the growing LNG-fuelled fleet could use liquefied biomethane or e-methane without requiring major modifications, and the existing supply infrastructure will remain fit for bunkering purposes with either fuel.

In contrast to other alternative fuels such as renewable hydrogen, methanol and ammonia, LNG is operationally proven, commercially viable, available and scalable now.