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SEA-LNG: Lifetime fuel costs of LNG pathway expected to be half of methanol and ammonia

Analysis shows lifetime cost of complying with regulatory regimes like FuelEU Maritime for LNG-fuelled vessels will be around half that of methanol and ammonia powered alternatives over coming decades.
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Global multi-sector industry coalition SEA-LNG on Thursday (15 June) said its analysis showed the lifetime fuel costs of meeting key European decarbonisation targets for shipping through the LNG pathway are expected to be roughly half that of the methanol or ammonia pathways.

Building on recent work by the Mærsk Mc-Kinney Møller Center for Zero Carbon Shipping (MMMCZCS) projecting fuel costs for alternative marine fuels out to 2050 (see Figure 1) and using long-term price benchmarks for ammonia, methanol and LNG as a marine fuel, SEA-LNG has calculated the cost of compliance with FuelEU Maritime regulations for a typical 14k TEU newbuild container vessel coming into operation in 2025.

FuelEU Maritime requires vessels to reduce the intensity of greenhouse gases produced by their energy consumption in coming years against a benchmark of the fleetwide average in 2020. 

Grey versions of ammonia and methanol start at a significant disadvantage to LNG. The additional greenhouse gas emissions involved in producing ammonia and methanol from natural gas means that respectively these grey fuels emit 47% and 14% more GHG emissions than VLSFO on a well-to-wake basis. Fossil, or grey LNG, offers up to 23% immediate GHG emission reductions compared to VLSFO on a well-to-wake lifecycle basis.

What this means is that owners opting for LNG-fuelled vessels will be able to meet the reduction targets until 2039 without needing to blend their fuel with low-carbon bio-LNG or renewable synthetic e-LNG. By contrast, owners of methanol and ammonia fuelled vessels will need to include significant proportions of a green fuel immediately to meet the regulations, vastly inflating their fuel bills.

Assuming an average fuel burn for the typical 14k TEU newbuild container vessel of 146 tonnes of VLSFO equivalent per day (as per Figure 2 above), a methanol-powered vessel would require a 14% green fuel blend to comply with FuelEU Maritime in 2025 at a fuel cost of almost USD55m per year, assuming the use of biomethanol. An ammonia powered vessel, if such a thing existed, would require a 33% green fuel blend to comply and face a fuel bill of about USD80m per year if using e-ammonia. LNG by contrast would require no blending with a fuel bill of just over USD20m per year. 

By 2040, LNG would require a 14% green fuel blend and annual fuel costs are expected to reach around USD25m, assuming the use of bio-LNG. Methanol’s green fuel blend requirement, will have increased to 40%, resulting in an annual fuel bill of just over USD 55m, assuming the use of biomethanol – the effects of the increased volume of biomethanol required offset by the falling costs of the green fuel. For ammonia the blend ratio will have increased to 53% with a blended fuel cost of approximately USD70m – the effects of the increased volume of e-ammonia required more than offset by the falling costs of the e-fuel. By 2050, SEA-LNG analysis shows that all three fuel options will have significant blends of green fuels in the form of bio- and e-fuels and we expect to see a convergence in overall fuel costs.

In summary, this simple analysis shows (as illustrated in Table 1, below) that the LNG pathway to compliance with FuelEU Maritime offers massively lower fuel costs than both the methanol and ammonia pathways, particularly in the first 15 years’ of the vessel’s life – a period critical for vessel financing decisions. The methanol pathway is approximately 2.5 times more expensive and the ammonia pathway 3.5 times more expensive.

Similar analysis can be undertaken for other sectors and while the absolute numbers will be different the cost ratios for the different pathways will be similar.

SEA-LNG COO Steve Esau, said: “Our analysis shows that lifetime fuel costs of achieving net-zero emissions through the LNG pathway are expected to be roughly half that of those for methanol and ammonia. This underlines the importance of understanding the implications of the journey to net zero as well as the destination. LNG offers GHG reductions today and a low cost, incremental solution for decarbonisation.”

SEA-LNG added it is currently developing a cost of compliance calculator that will enable ship owners, investors, charterers, and operators to explore the commercial implications of different fuel choices in complying with EU and IMO regulations.

Note: The full analysis can be read here. 

Related: SEA-LNG slams ‘Say No to LNG’: Campaign based on ‘false contention’
Related: Énestas joins SEA-LNG to share insights on Mexican and U.S. LNG bunkering
Related: SEA-LNG publishes overview of LNG as bunker fuel for 2022 to 2023
Related: SEA-LNG: Bio-LNG is the most readily available solution to decarbonise shipping
Related: SEA-LNG: New independent study confirms bio-LNG’s role in shipping’s decarbonisation
Related: SEA-LNG calls UCL report on LNG capable ships ‘a flawed academic exercise, detached from reality’
Related: SEA-LNG slams ICCT: Report on LNG Pathway makes ‘flawed assumptions based on outdated data’
Related: SEA-LNG: LNG retrofits will rate higher under CII than HFO/scrubber or VLSFO alternatives
Related: SEA LNG: Compare ‘apples with apples’ to cut emissions and costs

 

Photo credit: Cameron Venti from Unsplash
Published: 16 June, 2023

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Methanol

World Fuel and partners complete first green methanol bunkering of car carrier in Shanghai

Operation involved the delivery of approximately 2,800 MT of green methanol to “Arctic Tern” via a ship-to-ship transfer using SIPG Energy’s dedicated methanol bunkering vessel “M/V Hai Gang Zhi Yuan”.
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World Fuel and partners complete first green methanol bunkering of car carrier in Shanghai

Marine fuel provider World Fuel on Tuesday (21 July) said it successfully completed the first green methanol bunkering of M/V Arctic Tern, with EUKOR Car Carriers and SIPG Energy at the Port of Shanghai. 

Arctic Tern is the first vessel in the new Shaper Class series of car carriers. 

The operation involved the delivery of approximately 2,800 MT of green methanol to Arctic Tern via a ship-to-ship transfer using SIPG Energy’s dedicated methanol bunkering vessel M/V Hai Gang Zhi Yuan, the largest vessel of its kind in operation. 

The bunkering operation was carried out at Haitong Terminal, Waigaoqiao Port Area, Shanghai Port, with cargo handling operations conducted simultaneously during bunkering.

This marks EUKOR Car Carriers’ first green methanol operation and the first time Arctic Tern has bunkered methanol since its delivery on 9 July. The operation marked the first bunkering at Shanghai Port of green methanol produced locally in Shanghai for an international PCTC operator. 

It also demonstrated the city’s integrated green methanol value chain, spanning local production, storage and bunkering, and established a replicable “Shanghai Model” for green methanol supply.

World Fuel arranged the supply and delivery of the fuel on behalf of EUKOR Car Carriers, working with SIPG Energy as the physical supplier at the Port of Shanghai.

The green methanol supplied was produced from municipal solid waste, ISCC-EU certified, and had a carbon intensity value below 25 gCO₂e/MJ.

Arctic Tern is the first of fourteen Shaper Class vessels ordered by Wallenius Wilhelmsen. With a capacity of 9,300 car equivalent units and methanol dual-fuel capability, the vessel will be operated by EUKOR Car Carriers, jointly owned by Wallenius Wilhelmsen and Hyundai Motor Group. Following her first green methanol bunkering, Arctic Tern will continue her maiden voyage from Asia to Europe.

Xavier Leroi, COO Shipping Services at Wallenius Wilhelmsen and CEO of EUKOR Car Carriers, said: “Completing Arctic Tern’s first green methanol bunkering shortly after delivery is a significant milestone towards our decarbonisation ambition for both EUKOR Car Carriers and Wallenius Wilhelmsen. It demonstrates how investments in next-generation vessel technology and fuel flexibility are being translated into real-world operations. 

“This achievement reflects the strong collaboration between all parties involved. Together, we have shown how partnerships across the maritime value chain can help make lower-emission fuels available and operationally viable at scale.”

Mark Tamsitt, SVP Global Marine Sales at World Fuel, said, “The first bunkering event with a new fuel is a significant moment for any shipowner, and our role is to make it as seamless as possible. By connecting EUKOR Car Carriers with SIPG Energy’s proven green methanol capability at the Port of Shanghai, we were able to deliver on reliable supply, fuel quality, and safe processes. As more of our customers bring methanol dual-fuel tonnage into service, we are committed to being the partner that makes these kinds of operations routine.”

Mr. Zhang Da, General Manager of SIPG Energy, said, “Welcoming Arctic Tern to the Port of Shanghai for her first green methanol bunkering demonstrates the strength and maturity of our supply capability. Building on our well-established methanol ship-to-ship bunkering services for container vessels, we have already extended such services to pure car and truck carriers (PCTCs). This bunkering sets a new record for the largest single SIMOPs green methanol bunkering for PCTCs in China, marking another step in building Shanghai’s position as a global green energy hub for international shipping.”

This operation follows Wallenius Wilhelmsen’s announcement on 9 July that Arctic Tern would complete her first methanol bunkering shortly after delivery. The vessel entered service on routes between Asia and Europe immediately following handover from China Merchants Jinling Shipyard in Nanjing.

 

Photo credit: World Fuel
Published: 22 July, 2026

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Ammonia

HPA and MB Energy develop safety concept for STS ammonia bunkering

HPA says the Port of Hamburg will become “bunker ready” for ammonia, laying the groundwork for safe and reliable ammonia bunkering in the future.
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HPA and MB Energy develop safety concept for STS ammonia bunkering

The Hamburg Port Authority (HPA) and integrated energy company MB Energy on Tuesday (21 July) said they have completed a comprehensive risk analysis and developed a dedicated safety concept for ship-to-ship ammonia bunkering.

MB Energy said the analysis lays the groundwork for the safe introduction of ammonia as a future marine fuel.

“With our planned ammonia import terminal in Hamburg-Blumensand, MB Energy intends to provide the reliable land side supply infrastructure needed to support this transition across northern German ports,” it said in a social media post. 

Mabanaft Group was renamed to MB Energy last year and merged over 50 existing brands under one identity. 

Separately, HPA said the Port of Hamburg will become “bunker ready” for ammonia, laying the groundwork for safe and reliable ammonia bunkering in the future.

“The focus is in particular on container ships, cruise ships as well as RoRo and ConRo (Container/RoRo) ships,” it said. 

“We expect ammonia to establish itself as an alternative marine marine fuel in the coming years. With our preparatory work, we are already creating the conditions to welcome the first ammonia-powered ships in Hamburg and to bunker them safely.:

HPA added that the import terminal for ammonia planned by MB Energy from 2029 will make a decisive contribution to ensuring the reliable availability of ammonia as a bunker fuel in northern German ports in the long term. 

“The use of an ammonia bunker barge is considered a possible addition to the landside infrastructure to enable ship bunkering in the port and beyond in the future,” it said.

Related: Mabanaft Group renames as MB Energy, merging over 50 brands under one identity

 

Photo credit: Hamburg Port Authority
Published: 22 July, 2026

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LNG Bunkering

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

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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July 21, 2026

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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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