Connect with us

Alternative Fuels

ICCT starts FUMES project to measure methane slip from LNG-powered ships

Project will examine and quantify methane emissions from ships fuelled by LNG under a variety of real-world operating conditions at a scale never before achieved.
Admin

Published

4 years ago

on

Heli side1 980x551 1

Today the International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT) formally commences a new project, FUgitive Methane Emissions from Ships (FUMES), in collaboration with Danish-based Explicit ApS and the Netherlands Organization for Applied Scientific Research (TNO).

Using in-stack continuous emissions monitoring, drones, and helicopters, the project will examine and quantify methane emissions from ships fuelled by liquefied natural gas (LNG) under a variety of real-world operating conditions at a scale never before achieved.

Use of LNG as a marine fuel globally grew nearly 30% between 2012 and 2018 and LNG is becoming popular as a fuel for new cargo ships and cruise ships. This despite concerns about methane emissions which may dilute the potential GHG reduction benefits of using LNG compared to conventional fuels. The current literature on methane emissions from ships consists of only a small number of studies based on limited measurements taken on board or in a laboratory.

“Obtaining these real-world data will help us to better understand the conditions under which methane emissions from LNG-fuelled ships are high or low, and that’s important when considering ways to reduce the environmental impacts of shipping,” said Bryan Comer, Ph.D., marine program lead at the ICCT.

FUMES will assess emissions from ship engines and fugitive emissions from fuel tanks and cargo tanks. Methane “slip” from engines is related to the engine technology and the project will focus on emissions from low-pressure dual-fuel (LPDF) engines and high-pressure dual-fuel (HPDF) engines.

“Improvements in engine design over recent years might not be fully captured in older studies, and so that’s another gap in the literature this project will help address,” said Robin Vermeulen, engine and emissions measurement specialist at TNO.

FUMES results are expected to include estimated methane (CH4) and nitrogen oxides (NOx) emission factors by engine type for the ships measured. Measurements will be taken in 2022 and the team will publish a peer-reviewed, publicly available white paper in 2023.

“In addition to onboard measurements, the project will deploy both drones and helicopters to sample exhaust plumes from many more ships to provide broader insights into the factors that affect methane emissions. We will also use new drone-based technologies to quantify total fugitive methane emissions from ships, something which has never been done before,” said Bettina Knudsen, COO/CMO of Explicit ApS.

Methane’s 100-year global warming potential is 30 times stronger than the same amount of carbon dioxide (CO2), according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, and its 20-year global warming potential is even more potent at 82.5 times stronger.

The FUMES project will be useful for a variety of policymakers, including at the International Maritime Organization and the European Union, as they consider ways to establish and enforce limits on methane emissions from LNG-fuelled ships.

 

Photo credit: International Council on Clean Transportation
Published: 23 March, 2022

Related Topics:
Continue Reading

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.

Admin

Published

17 hours ago

on

July 21, 2026

By

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

Continue Reading

LNG Bunkering

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.
Admin

Published

17 hours ago

on

July 21, 2026

By

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

China’s Nantong CIMC Sinopacific Offshore & Engineering Co., Ltd. (CIMC SOE) recently signed a contract with Sinopec (Beijing) Clean Energy Co., Ltd. to build a 12,000-cubic metre (m3) LNG bunkering vessel, according to Chinese maritime media.

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
Published: 21 July, 2026

Continue Reading

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.
Admin

Published

17 hours ago

on

July 21, 2026

By

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

Continue Reading

Trending