Titan Clean Fuels (Titan) on Monday (17 March) said it has completed the first LNG and liquefied biomethane (bio-LNG) bunkering operation of a new multi-delivery contract for Mitsui O.S.K. Lines’ vehicle carrier fleet.

On 16 March, Titan’s Alice Cosulich LNG bunkering vessel delivered 500 metric tonnes (mt) of bio-LNG and 400 mt of conventional LNG to the Celeste Ace vehicle carrier. The simultaneous operation (SIMOPS) bunkering took place in the Port of Zeebrugge’s International Car Operators (ICO) terminal.

Titan’s delivery of ISCC-EU-certified mass-balanced bio-LNG marks the first of a series of bio-LNG deliveries to the Japanese shipping company. The bio-LNG was produced using waste and residue, which reduces GHG emissions by up to 100% compared to marine diesel on a well-to-wake basis. LNG, bio-LNG, and renewable hydrogen-derived e-methane can be blended at any ratio and ‘dropped into’ existing LNG bunkering infrastructure with little to no modification.

Caspar Gooren, Commercial Director of Renewable Fuels at Titan, said: “This bunkering highlights the growing role of bio-LNG in decarbonizing international shipping today. With bio-LNG availability expanding, its deep decarbonization potential, and increasing commercial viability, the LNG pathway offers practical solutions for shipowners and operators. Moreover, with a global maritime leader like MOL putting its commercial weight behind bio-LNG, this is an exciting time for the clean fuels transition.”

Yoshikazu Urushitani, Marine Fuel GX Division General Manager at MOL, said: “We are exploring the use of ammonia and hydrogen fuels as part of our strategy to adopt clean alternative fuels, while moving to expand the use of LNG-fueled vessels and more quickly achieve a low-carbon society. We will also be early adopters of bio-LNG and synthetic LNG. Partnering with Titan, we will start using bio-LNG to lead the shipping industry in the transition to clean alternative fuels. We remain committed to adopting clean fuels to reach net zero GHG emissions by 2050.”

MOL currently operates five LNG-fuelled vehicle carriers and will have six more delivered by the middle of 2025. 

Photo credit: Titan
Published: 18 March, 2025

South Korean shipbuilder Hanwha Ocean on Monday (17 March) has secured an order for six 24,000 TEU LNG dual-fuel ultra-large container ships from Taiwanese shipping major Evergreen Marine.

Several media outlets reported the shipbuilding order is valued at over USD 1.6 billion. 

The ultra-large container ships ordered this time are 400 metres long and 61.5 metres wide and can transport 24,000 containers at once. In particular, these ships will be equipped with Hanwha Ocean’s latest eco-friendly technologies, such as LNG dual-fuel propulsion engines, shaft generator motor systems (SGM), and air lubrication systems (ALS).

“Recently, the shipbuilding industry is rapidly introducing LNG and next-generation eco-friendly fuel propulsion ships against the backdrop of strengthened eco-friendly regulations,” Hanwha Ocean said.

“Evergreen’s choice of LNG dual-fuel propulsion container ships in this contract is interpreted as a strategic choice to meet environmental regulations while maximising fuel efficiency.”

Evergreen is one of the world’s largest container shipping companies, operating a fleet of over 200 vessels. Hanwha Ocean, which has strengthened its sales capabilities by joining Hanwha Group, has secured a new customer by forming its first partnership with Evergreen through this contract. 

Kim Hee-chul, CEO of Hanwha Ocean, said, “I would like to thank the ship owners who placed orders and trusted Hanwha Ocean’s technological capabilities. We will continue to lead the eco-friendly ultra-large container ship market based on our differentiated technological capabilities.”

Photo credit: Hanwha Ocean
Published: 18 March, 2025

South Korea’s maritime decarbonisation technology provider VINSSEN on Monday (17 March) said it has received the Approval in Principle (AIP) certification from the Korean Register (KR) for Korea's first tugboat featuring a hydrogen fuel cell propulsion system. 

The certification marked a significant milestone in the development of eco-friendly technologies, initiated through a memorandum of understanding MOU with KR Engineering (KRE) in April last year. 

“The joint-research project between the three organizations represents a major leap in applying decarbonisation technology to high-carbon-emitting vessels, such as tugboats, advancing the maritime industry's shift toward sustainability,” VINSSEN said.

VINSSEN leads the engineering of the eco-friendly hydrogen fuel cell propulsion systems, while KRE handles the tugboat's base performance and layout engineering. 

This 2,700 kW hydrogen fuel cell-powered electric tugboat uses hydrogen fuel and stores excess electricity generated by the fuel cells in batteries for low-load operations.

During high-output scenarios, the stored energy from the batteries supplements the fuel cell's power to ensure stable and efficient propulsion, enabling peak-load operations.

VINSSEN provides a practical and scalable eco-friendly propulsion system for port operations, optimising hydrogen energy use based on the tugboat's operational profile. 

The system is designed to meet current and future environmental regulations while delivering exceptional performance in harsh and specialized marine environments.

Photo credit: VINSSEN
Published: 18 March, 2025