Alternative Fuels

LNG will play key role in industry’s decarbonisation ambitions, suggests ABS survey

‘It’s clear the industry needs LNG as a transitional fuel to get us to 2030,’ says Christopher J. Wiernicki, ABS Chairman, President and CEO.

Published

5 years ago

May 6, 2021

Admin

While nearly 40% of shipowners have still not implemented a decarbonisation strategy despite impending regulations, there is resounding confidence among industry leaders in LNG’s potential to help reach regulatory goals in the coming decades.

These are key messages from the panel of industry leaders and a survey of more than 400 attendees at a webinar exploring decarbonisation research recently published by ABS in the report Setting the Course to Low Carbon Shipping: View of the Value Chain.

The third publication in the ABS Low Carbon Shipping series builds from prior issues which have identified LNG’s importance among the various alternative fuel options, and looks into current ship designs, in many cases, starting a transition to alternative fuels with LNG.

“It’s clear the industry needs LNG as a transitional fuel to get us to 2030. It could also support the transition to zero-carbon and carbon-neutral fuels that are required to get us to 2050, such as Hydrogen. Owners of internationally trading ships are facing increasingly complex investment decisions as they try to navigate the most efficient course to the low-carbon future,” said Christopher J. Wiernicki, ABS Chairman, President and CEO.

As part of its award-winning decarbonisation programs, ABS has simplified three fuel pathways (light gas, heavy gas and bio/synthetic) to help aid owners in decision-making.

“LNG remains the clear choice today because of its sheer scalability, growing availability and high technological readiness among low-carbon and low-emission fuels, where Hydrogen and Ammonia appear to be emerging as significant fuel types for tomorrow,” added Wiernicki.

The survey indicated the industry has solid confidence in LNG’s potential, with almost nine out of ten respondents agreeing that it has a key role to play in reaching IMO 2050. Among six fuel types, LNG landed the clear majority of the votes as having the most potential for meeting IMO 2050 decarbonisation goals.

Of the respondents confirming they had not yet put in place a fleetwide decarbonisation strategy, 70 percent reported that they had developed a clear understanding of their fleet’s environmental performance in relation to industry peers.

Key takeaways included:

The short-term IMO measures, EEXI and CII, create a challenging landscape for many vessels within the global fleet.
Life-cycle analysis clearly identifies the need for green fuel production in order to have meaningful GHG emissions reduction from low- and zero-carbon fuels.
The required scale up of technology for green fuel production is significant (by an order of magnitude) before low-and carbon-neutral fuels can be widely adopted by the global fleet.
The adoption of such fuels and the overall decarbonisation of the marine sector will be enhanced by the global economy’s efforts to address the impact of climate change.
Understanding global supply chains is critical to plan future fleet composition and renewal strategies.

“Although we are fuel and technology agnostic, ABS focuses on working across the board to help owners not only reach their decarbonisation and sustainability targets but hit them successfully, while maintaining a laser focus on safety,” said Wiernicki.

Photo credit and source: MAN Diesel
Published: 6 May, 2021

LNG Bunkering

Osaka Gas conducts Osaka Bay’s first STS LNG bunkering operation

Acting through Singapore-based marine fuel trading firm Integr8 Fuels, Osaka Gas supplied LNG bunker fuel to an LNG-fuelled PCTC operated by an overseas shipping company calling at the Port of Kobe.

Published

2 hours ago

September 8, 2026

Admin

Osaka Gas conducts Osaka Bay’s first STS LNG bunkering operation

Japanese energy company Osaka Gas on Friday (4 September) said it has successfully completed the first-ever ship-to-ship LNG bunkering operation in Osaka Bay, supplying LNG fuel to an LNG-fuelled PCTC.

The operation was conducted using SETO AZURE, an LNG bunkering vessel owned by Osaka Bay LNG Shipping Co Ltd, an affiliated company of Osaka Gas.

Acting through Integr8 Fuels Pte Ltd, a Singapore-based marine fuel trading company, Osaka Gas supplied LNG fuel to an LNG-fuelled PCTC operated by an overseas shipping company calling at the Port of Kobe.

Ship-to-ship bunkering will help ensure a stable supply of LNG fuel in the Osaka Bay area and support the development of the Port of Kobe as a Carbon Neutral Port.

In addition to ship-to-ship bunkering, Osaka Gas provides LNG fuel through truck-to-ship bunkering and port-to-ship bunkering. With capability covering all three major LNG bunkering methods, Osaka Gas provides flexible and reliable LNG fuel supply services to meet customers’ diverse needs.

The company said LNG bunkering infrastructure in Japan remains insufficient, highlighting the need to establish a stable fuel supply network to support the wider adoption of LNG-fuelled vessels.

Photo credit: Osaka Gas
Published: 8 September, 2026

Alternative Fuels

DNV at SMM: Yanmar Maritime awarded type approval for fuel cell system

Certification marked an important step in moving Yanmar’s maritime hydrogen fuel cell technology from successful domestic deployment toward broader commercial adoption in international markets.

Published

2 hours ago

September 8, 2026

Admin

DNV at SMM: Yanmar Maritime awarded type approval for fuel cell system

Classification society DNV on Monday (7 September) said it awarded Yanmar Power Solutions Co Ltd, a subsidiary of Yanmar Holdings, type approval (TA) for its Maritime Hydrogen Fuel Cell System at the SMM trade fair in Hamburg last week.

DNV said the certification marked an important step in moving Yanmar’s maritime hydrogen fuel cell technology from successful domestic deployment toward broader commercial adoption in international markets.

“This certification represents a significant milestone in the commercialization and global deployment of hydrogen fuel cell technology for marine applications,” the classification society said in a statement.

The approval confirms that the GH-FC series complies with DNV’s industry leading rules and guidelines, enabling shipbuilders, system integrators, and vessel operators to adopt the technology with greater confidence and reduced certification burden for future projects.

Masaru Hirose, President and Representative Director of Yanmar Power Solutions Co Ltd, said: “Achieving DNV Type Approval represents a major milestone in our journey to bring hydrogen-powered solutions to the marine market. Building on our operational experience in Japan, we aim to support customers around the world in their transition to zero-emission operations and realize sustainable maritime transportation.”

Eric Tigelaar, Department Manager of Commercial Marine Department at Yanmar Europe, stated: “This certification strengthens our ability to support customers throughout Europe and beyond who are seeking practical pathways toward decarbonization. The GH-FC series combines easy installation, operational flexibility, modularity and environmental performance, making it an attractive solution for a wide range of vessel applications.”

Olaf Drews, Head of Engines & Pressurized Equipment, DNV Maritime, said: “We are very pleased to continue our cooperation with Yanmar and award them this latest Type Approval Award for their GH-FC series. Every step demonstrates the growing maturity of hydrogen fuel cell technology and continues to build confidence in the market and showcase its readiness for broader commercial applications. DNV is pleased to continue supporting innovative solutions that can help accelerate the transition toward zero-emission shipping.”

Photo credit: DNV
Published: 8 September, 2026

Alternative Fuels

ORLEN and Port of Gdynia to explore LNG and bio-LNG bunkering in Poland

Cooperation will examine market demand, the potential scale of LNG and bioLNG bunkering, required infrastructure, operating conditions and the regulatory framework needed to support future services.

Published

2 hours ago

September 8, 2026

Admin

ORLEN and Port of Gdynia to explore LNG and bio-LNG bunkering in Poland

Polish energy company ORLEN on Friday (4 September) said it has signed an agreement with Port of Gdynia Authority to assess the development of LNG and bioLNG bunkering services for marine vessels, as both organisations explore infrastructure and market solutions that could expand access to alternative fuels along the Polish coast.

The cooperation will examine market demand, the potential scale of LNG and bioLNG bunkering, required infrastructure, operating conditions and the regulatory framework needed to support future services.

One of the main areas under consideration will be waterside bunkering, including ship-to-ship operations, where fuel is transferred directly from a bunker vessel to another ship while in port.

Robert Soszyński, Vice President of the ORLEN Management Board for Operations, said the cooperation with the Port of Gdynia forms part of the Group’s broader fuel portfolio transformation through 2035.

Under ORLEN’s strategy, natural gas, including LNG, is expected to retain an important role as a transitional fuel supporting energy security and transport decarbonisation.

The company is seeking to strengthen capabilities across the full value chain, including fuel sourcing, logistics and final use.

At the same time, ORLEN is developing renewable fuel capabilities, including bioLNG, which the company sees as a potential route for reducing emissions in heavy-duty road transport and shipping.

Soszyński said ORLEN’s ambition is to work with ports not only as a fuel supplier but also as a partner in developing infrastructure and market conditions for alternative marine fuels in Poland and the wider region.

Piotr Gorzeński, CEO of the Port of Gdynia Authority, said the shipping industry’s energy transition is already changing the fuel and technology requirements faced by ports.

“Shipowners are increasingly examining ways to reduce emissions, while ports need to be capable of serving vessels using a wider range of propulsion technologies and fuels,” he said.

The cooperation will include knowledge sharing and an assessment of requirements among shipowners and port users, particularly operators of scheduled ferry, container and ro-ro services.

ORLEN and the Port of Gdynia will also analyse bunkering models used at other European ports.

Among the options under review will be the suitability of ship-to-ship bunkering for larger vessels and the possibility of supplying fuel while ships are alongside the berth.

The partners will also examine whether bunkering could take place in parallel with cargo-handling operations.

Photo credit: ORLEN
Published: 8 September, 2026