TotalEnergies asserts role of LNG within marine fuel mix for maritime decarbonisation

Global integrated energy company TotalEnergies, amongst the largest producers and exporters of liquified natural gas (LNG) worldwide, has a clear LNG bunkering and future marine fuel development strategy planned for the shipping sector.

“LNG is not a bridge but a path towards decarbonisation,” Frederic Meyer, Director, Strategy and Projects, TotalEnergies Marine Fuels told delegates at the LNG Bunkering – A Bridge or Path to the Future? panel discussion session during Sea Asia 2025.

Meyer emphasised LNG as the current “no-brainer” solution, highlighting its mature technology, availability, economic viability, and immediate emission reduction capabilities.

Further, he revealed TotalEnergies has already begun implementing its LNG bunkering strategy by launching marine refuelling operations in strategic locations including Singapore, Rotterdam and Marseille while planning expansion into the Middle East.

“The core and main priority have aways been to address the ship-to-ship (STS) transfer of LNG in a safe manner and the experience we had with the cruise vessels in Marseille was helpful in replicating the recent LNG bunkering operation for RCCL Silver Nova at Singapore,” he shared.

“This operation, the first STS LNG bunkering for a cruise vessel in Singapore, was successfully completed about a month ago.

“We dedicated a full technical team to work on safety and the compatibility of the delivery and receiving vessels together with several partners. This included extensive work in Singapore with the cruise centre, MPA (Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore), class, and clients.”

Meyer noted TotalEnergies’ next project in the Middle East to be “very interesting” as the region is geographically located in a position between Singapore and Rotterdam.

“This region, which is also an LNG producer, is exposed to ample LNG trades. This presents us with an unique opportunity to further capture the LNG bunkering market from a nearby area where it is produced.”

Meyer stated, “LNG is not the end, but a clear pathway” and revealed the company’s roadmap from LNG to bio-LNG and eventually synthetic methane to ensure LNG’s validity to IMO 2050.

He forecast bio-LNG’s more significant role emerging after 2035, emphasising the importance of maintaining biogas in its most efficient form rather than converting it to other molecules.

“You may also have heard of bio-methanol, for instance, but then you are losing energy and efficiency in terms of yield and production. It’s better to keep biogas available as much as possible, to be used along with certificates for greener LNG when it’s going to be necessary,” he shared.

“The beauty about bio-LNG is that you don’t necessarily need to have a full physical supply chain, because through the regulations (EU and eventually at the IMO-level), you can leverage on certificates if you have full traceability of your biogas production injected in the system.

“Bio-LNG will be developed at scale and in time, roughly after 2035 when it’s going to be necessary to include a few percent of biogas with LNG.”

Moving forward, Meyer expressed confidence towards engine manufacturers in addressing methane slip for LNG engines and shared TotalEnergies’ efforts in tackling methane slip in both upstream [80%] and downstream [20%] sectors.

“A challenge for LNG, whether it’s e-methane or biogas, is methane slip,” he said.

“We have observed OEM and engine manufacturers improving very quickly to dramatically reduce methane slip with new technological developments.

“On the upstream, we at TotalEnergies are engaged in the MAMII (Methane Abatement in Maritime Innovation Initiative) initiative and contribute our expertise in reducing the emissions all along the gas value chain.”

Photo credit: Manifold Times
Published: 10 April 2025