Taiwanese shipping firm Yang Ming Marine Transport Corporation (Yang Ming) on Thursday (17 September) held a naming ceremony at the HD Hyundai Heavy Industries (HD HHI) shipyard in Ulsan, South Korea, for YM Weight, the fourth vessel in its series of five 15,500 TEU-class LNG dual-fuel container vessels built by HD HHI. 

Mrs. Chiu-Lien Lin, the spouse of Administrative Deputy Minister of Transportation and Communications Mr. Kuo-Shian Lin, was invited as the Godmother to officially name the vessel and perform the ceremonial cord-cutting, wishing the ship smooth sailing and full loading on all future voyages. 

This series of vessels built by HD HHI has a length overall (LOA) of 364.97 meters, a breadth of 51 meters, and a capacity of approximately 15,600 TEU. 

The vessels are equipped with high-pressure dual-fuel main engines that run on both LNG and low-sulphur fuel oil, along with integrated navigational information, equipment monitoring, broadband maritime satellite systems, and multiple energy-saving systems to enhance operational efficiency and navigational safety. 

YM Weight, the fourth vessel in the series, is jointly classed by CR and the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS), bringing international classification expertise and capabilities to safeguard the safety and technical compliance of next-generation LNG dual-fuel vessels. 

Furthermore, following proactive underwater noise measurements, the vessel has achieved two industry firsts by receiving the Underwater Noise (UWN) notation from ABS and the Underwater Radiated Noise (URN) notation from CR. The dual recognitions underscore Yang Ming’s commitment to mitigate operational impact on marine life and sustainable development. 

In addition to expanding its next-generation fleet and strengthening its core shipping business, Yang Ming has continued to strengthen professional training for seafarers operating alternative-fuel vessels. 

Yang Ming’s senior Captain Ming-Yeong Pan will serve as the delivery captain of ‘YM Weight’. Captain Pan is the first seafarer in Taiwan to receive the Advanced Training Certificate under the International Code of Safety for Ships Using Gases or Other Low-flashpoint Fuels (IGF Code), Certificate No. 0001, issued by the Maritime and Port Bureau, MOTC. 

To date, 148 Yang Ming officers have completed advanced IGF Code training and will progressively undertake onboard training aboard LNG-fueled vessels and practical alternative-fuel bunkering training. 

Photo credit: Yang Ming Marine Transport
Published: 18 September, 2026

South Korea’s Hanwha Power on Wednesday (16 September) said that it has obtained approval in principle (AiP) from the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) for the concept design of a 22,000-cubic-meter LNG bunkering vessel at Gastech 2026 held in Bangkok, Thailand.

The certificate presentation ceremony was held on September 15 local time, with Hanwha Power Marine Solution Business Division Head Hoon-min Kim, Vice President Jong-kyu Hwang, who oversees Technical Solutions, and key ABS representatives in attendance.

With the latest AiP, Hanwha Power has completed its lineup of medium- and large-scale LNG bunkering vessels, ranging from 7,500-cubic-meter to 22,000-cubic-meter.

A key feature of the concept design is its LNG-ammonia multi-cargo capability, which enables the vessel to transport not only LNG but also ammonia, an emerging next-generation bridge fuel. 

The design incorporates high-manganese steel cargo containment technology, Mc-C, allowing the vessel to adapt to the future transition to alternative fuels with minimal design modifications. This provides shipowners with greater long-term technological flexibility and competitiveness.

Considering the operating characteristics of bunkering vessels, which primarily operate in coastal waters, Hanwha Power has also applied a hybrid electric propulsion system that integrates an onshore power supply (OPS) system with an energy storage system (ESS). The system is designed to minimize harmful emissions while the vessel is berthed or operating in coastal areas, while also improving operational efficiency and economic performance.

In addition, Hanwha Power has incorporated the Group’s core technologies, including dual-fuel generator sets, ESS, electrical power system integration, integrated automation system, and cargo handling system. By integrating these technologies, the company aims to maximize the competitiveness and business synergies of its integrated engineering and procurement (EP) package, covering both engineering and procurement capabilities.

“This ABS AiP marks another important milestone demonstrating Hanwha Power’s technological reliability and commercial viability in the global eco-friendly vessel market,” said Hoon-min Kim, Head of Hanwha Power’s Marine Solution Business Division. 

“Building on the Hanwha Group’s differentiated clean-technology capabilities, we will continue to provide global shipowners with optimized integrated solutions for the transition to more sustainable marine transportation.”

Photo credit: Hanwha Power
Published: 17 September 2026

Liquefied natural gas (LNG) is a resilient, scalable “methane pathway” using existing systems for shipping to decarbonise, Chua Han Wee, Strategic Customer Director, Shell Marine told delegates at APPEC 2026 on Thursday (10 September).

Though the material is supported by expanding infrastructure and improving methane management, adoption is primarily regulation-led, with high-cost environments dampening alternative investment.

In his presentation Looking Ahead: The Methane Pathway for Shipping’s Energy Transition Mr Chua highlighted the global LNG market has expanded by nearly 60% over the last decade, with regasification infrastructure growing in parallel across various geographies.

He noted LNG today represents the largest alternative-fuelled fleet, with the dual-fuel LNG fleet growing by 8% in the first eight months of 2026.

Despite current geopolitical disruptions in the Middle East causing spot price volatility, he argued the LNG market is mature and resilient, capable of rebalancing through levers like storage drawdowns, fuel switching, and demand management.

Looking forward, he pointed to record levels of liquefaction projects taking Final Investment Decision (FID) in 2025 and 2026, with approximately 200 million tons of new LNG supply expected to come online from the early 2030s, which may outstrip demand growth and improve fuel availability.

The following main points were covered in the presentation:

‘Methane Pathway’ and Progressive Emissions Reduction

Mr Chua presented the “methane pathway” as a pragmatic, scalable decarbonisation route that utilises the same storage, handling, and engine infrastructure for different LNG fuel types (LNG → bio-LNG → synthetic LNG). This pathway allows for progressive emissions reduction utilising LNG material:

• LNG: Provides immediate greenhouse gas (GHG) reductions on a well-to-wake basis compared to conventional fuel oil, while also improving air quality by reducing soot, NOx, and particulate matter.
• Bio-LNG*: Already available as a marine fuel today, it can reduce GHG emissions by 33% to 200% depending on the feedstock and processing.
• Synthetic LNG*: Synthetic LNG: Currently in the pre-commercial stage, it is expected to reduce GHG emissions by 53% to 91%.

Progress in Methane Abatement Across LNG Industry

The LNG industry is meanwhile making tangible progress in managing methane emissions across the value chain:

• Upstream: Members of the Oil and Gas Climate Initiative (OGCI) have reduced methane emissions intensity by over 50% since 2016, with Shell averaging 0.05% in 2023.
• Shipping: Over 90% of LNG-fuelled vessels currently on order are fitted with engines designed for low methane slip (less than 0.8%).
• Technology: Shell is currently conducting a year-long trial of a Methane Abatement Catalyst (MAC) on an LNG bunkering vessel in Singapore to remove unburned methane from engine exhaust.

Regulatory Enablers Needed for Scale

To support the methane pathway, identified several critical regulatory enablers need to be addressed at the International Maritime Organization (IMO) level:

• Updated Default Factors: Conservative default values (such as the current 18.5 gCO₂/MJ in FuelEU Maritime) need to progress toward more representative, asset-level data; a study by Rystad Energy using asset-level data suggest a lower value of 14.0 gCO₂/MJ from Norway and the Republic of Korea.
• Recognition of Avoided Emissions: The formal recognition of avoided emissions from bio- and synthetic pathways within a lifecycle assessment framework, similar to existing models in the EU Renewable Energy Directive and US Low Carbon Fuel Standards.
• Mass Balancing: Acceptance of “mass balancing” as a chain of custody model across interconnected gas infrastructure, which is already recognised by the EU.

“We advocate at the IMO for LNG default factors to reflect the latest assessments, as these provide more representative emissions estimates,” said Mr Chua.

“The current LNG default factor under FuelEU Maritime is 18.5 gCO₂/MJ. Norway and the Republic of Korea have proposed to GESAMP a lower LNG default factor of 14.0 gCO₂/MJ, based on analysis by Rystad Energy.

“Unlike regional-average approaches, the Rystad study uses asset-level data that reflects the LNG facilities supplying the marine bunker market, providing a more representative estimate of emissions performance.”

*Disclaimer: All GHG reduction figures mentioned in the presentation are calculated using fuel default values from FuelEU Maritime regulation (EU) 2023/1805. These are compared to Very Low Sulphur Fuel Oil (VLSFO), the differences in greenhouse gas (GHG) reductions on a well-to-wake basis for each fuel are due to variations in the materials used, how the fuel is made, and how emissions are measured.

Photo credit: Manifold Times
Published: 16 September 2026