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Alternative Fuels

Academic ponders on ‘perfect’ alternative marine fuel

Shipping industry needs an alternative to fossil fuels, but which one? Asks Senior Lecturer at University of Manchester.
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The following is an academic article from The University of Manchester:

The shipping industry needs to move to renewable and alternative fuels to reduce the sector’s impact on the environment.

But there is no widely available fuel to manage climate change and local pollutants according to a recent study by researchers at The University of Manchester.

How the shipping industry’s need to radically reduce its CO2 emissions will a prominent discussion when the International Maritime Organisation’s Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) meets in London from 9-13 April.

The research team says there is a need for alternative fuels in shipping for two main reasons; to reduce local pollutants and comply with regulation and; to mitigate against climate change and cut greenhouse gas emissions.

Alternative fuels are defined as any other fuel than conventional fossil fuels that can be used for powering ships. The alternative fuels assessed in the study were liquefied natural gas (LNG), methanol, liquid hydrogen (LH2) (with and without carbon capture and storage), biodiesel, straight vegetable oil (SVO) and bio-LNG.

However, the analysis demonstrates that no widely available fuel exists currently to both reduce the environmental impact and comply with current environmental regulation. Some of the alternative fuel options analysed have the potential, but only if key barriers can be overcome.

Dr Paul Gilbert, Senior Lecturer in Climate Change Mitigation, said: “There is, at present, no readily available fuel option to deliver significant savings on local pollutants and greenhouse gas emissions in tandem. In particular, LNG is a promising option for meeting existing regulation, but it is not a low greenhouse gas emissions fuel.”

Researchers from the University’s Tyndall Centre for Climate Change carried out a life cycle assessment of current and future fuels used by the shipping companies to quantify their environmental impacts.

They measured the impacts by using six emissions types. These were local pollutants (sulphur oxides, nitrogen oxides, and particulate matter) and greenhouse gases (carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide).

However, to become a viable alternative for the industry to adopt, the fuel must meet a range of criteria. One of the fundamental requirements is that it can deliver emissions reductions over its full life-cycle.

Dr Gilbert, from School of Mechanical, Aerospace & Civil Engineering, added: “To understand the full extent of the environmental implications it is important to consider the emissions released over the full life-cycle and not just during fuel combustion. Otherwise, there is a risk of misleading the industry and policy on the true emission penalties of any alternative fuels.”

The study says effort needs to be directed at overcoming barriers to exploiting the identified low carbon potential of fuels, or finding alternatives.

Dr Gilbert said: “As the urgent need to curtail greenhouse gas emissions is the more severe challenge, it is therefore important to ensure that any short-term measure doesn’t diminish the potential roll-out of low carbon fuels, in particular when taking into account the long life times of ships and fuel supply infrastructure. To meet the objective of reducing greenhouse gas emissions, whole life-cycle emissions need to be accounted for.”

Photo credit: The University of Manchester
Published: 11 April, 2018
 

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As the first of 13 new 13,000 TEU vessels joining its fleet, Kota Elok is equipped to operate on LNG and low-sulphur fuel oil that helps reduce our greenhouse gas emissions.

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PIL's LNG dual-fuel boxship “Kota Elok” arrives in Singapore on maiden call

Singapore-based Pacific International Lines Pte Ltd on Monday (20 July) said its first 13,000 TEU LNG dual-fuel container vessel, Kota Elok, recently made her maiden call to Singapore on 15 July.

As the first of 13 new 13,000 TEU vessels joining its fleet, Kota Elok is equipped to operate on liquefied natural gas (LNG) and low-sulphur fuel oil that helps reduce our greenhouse gas emissions. 

The vessel also incorporated energy-saving features and digital technologies to reduce fuel consumption and enhance operational performance, as well as a bow windshield to improve aerodynamics, contributing to improved fuel efficiency and lower emissions over the course of long-haul voyages.

“Following Singapore, Kota Elok will continue her voyage on our East Coast Service 1 (ES1) route to South America, calling at ports in Brazil, Uruguay, and Argentina before returning to Asia,” the company said in a social media post. 

Kota Elok also became PIL’s first vessel to receive Lloyd’s Register certification for compliance with the IACS UR E26 and UR E27 cyber security requirements.

Developed by the International Association of Classification Societies (IACS), UR E26 and UR E27 are mandatory cyber resilience requirements for newbuild vessels contracted from 1 July 2024. 

 

Photo credit: Pacific International Lines
Published: 21 July, 2026

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CIMC SOE secures order for 12,000-cbm LNG bunkering vessel from Sinopec Clean Energy

Once operational, the vessel is expected to strengthen Sinopec’s domestic coastal LNG bunkering network and help address gaps in China’s alternative fuel bunkering infrastructure.
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CIMC SOE secures order for 12,000-cbm LNG bunkering vessel from Sinopec Clean Energy

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The vessel is scheduled for delivery in 2028 and will support Sinopec’s efforts to expand its presence in the marine clean energy sector.

Once operational, the vessel is expected to strengthen Sinopec’s domestic coastal LNG bunkering network and help address gaps in China’s LNG bunkering infrastructure.

With this signing , CIMC Pacific Offshore Engineering’s LNG bunkering vessel orderbook is further strengthened, maintaining its leading position in the global market for small and medium-sized LNG bunkering vessels.

The contract also marked another milestone for CIMC SOE, which has seen a sharp increase in orders and business performance this year amid a surge in domestic LNG vessel demand.

 

Photo credit: Nantong CIMC Sinopacific Offshore & Engineering
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Nuclear

ABS awards AiP to Korean institute for SMR-powered container ship concept design

KRISO says AiP recognises the technical feasibility and safety of its concept design, marking an important milestone toward the development of next-generation nuclear-powered commercial ships.
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ABS awards AiP to Korean institute for SMR-powered container ship concept design

Korea Research Institute of Ships & Ocean Engineering (KRISO) on Thursday (16 July) received Approval in Principle (AiP) from the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) for its concept design of a 15,000 TEU Small Modular Reactor (SMR)-powered container ship utilising Molten Salt Reactor (MSR) technology.

KRISO said the AiP recognises the technical feasibility and safety of its concept design, marking an important milestone toward the development of next-generation nuclear-powered commercial ships.

“This achievement demonstrates international recognition of KRISO’s technological capabilities in the rapidly evolving field of nuclear-powered shipping, supporting the transition toward low-carbon maritime transport,” it said. 

Building on this milestone, KRISO will continue advancing basic and detailed ship design, paving the way for future demonstration and commercialisation of SMR-powered vessels. 

Through continued R&D and international collaboration, KRISO remains committed to strengthening next-generation maritime technologies and contributing to the safe deployment of nuclear propulsion in the maritime industry.

 

Photo credit: Korea Research Institute of Ships & Ocean Engineering
Published: 21 July, 2026

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