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SEA-LNG slams ‘Say No to LNG’: Campaign based on ‘false contention’

‘SNtL brings no new evidence to the table, simply rehashing existing flawed analysis, based on old technologies and unrealistic assumptions, cherry-picking data and stating facts out of context,’ says SEA-LNG.
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Global multi-sector industry coalition SEA-LNG on Friday (14 April) responded to recent comments from the ‘Say No to LNG’ campaign which it said ‘seeks to misrepresent the clear benefits of the LNG pathway to decarbonisation and overstate its challenges’:

A robust NGO sector is key to shaping the energy transition in the maritime sector, bringing in the voices of civil society, academia and other stakeholders outside government and the private sector. There are many good examples of progressive NGOs looking to engage positively with the maritime industry on the basis of sound science. 

Organisations that have as their stated negative goal “to urge policymakers, industry stakeholders, and financial institutions to urgently rule LNG out of any shipping decarbonization scenario”, while offering no viable alternatives have no place in a responsible dialogue.

Say No to LNG (SNtL) bases its campaign on a false contention, suggesting the industry is hiding the issue of methane emissions. SNtL states “What they don’t tell you is that LNG replaces CO2 emissions with methane emissions….” when the opposite is true. 

The industry has been open about methane emissions, recognising it is an issue which needs to be addressed with urgency and has undertaken publicly available, peer-reviewed GHG emissions analysis on primary data from all major marine engine manufacturers. 

Levels of methane slip have been reduced by a factor of four since LNG-fuelled engines were introduced in the early 2000s and today, the LNG-fuelled vessel order book is dominated by engine technologies with low, or negligible levels of methane slip. The industry is engaged in projects to measure operational methane emissions from a variety of vessel and engine types. In September 2022, it launched an initiative, the Methane Abatement in Maritime Innovation Initiative (MAMII), to monitor, measure and abate methane emissions in the maritime supply chain.

SNtL brings no new evidence to the table, simply rehashing existing flawed analysis, based on old technologies and unrealistic assumptions, cherry-picking data and stating facts out of context.  For our responses to the reports cited by SNtL please see the following links UCL, ICCT and the World Bank.

To align with the Paris Agreement’s legally binding treaty to keep global warming below 1.5 degrees C, shipping needs a basket of fuels as well as operational and technical efficiency measures. These fuels must be evaluated on a like-for-like scientific basis so that the industry can make properly informed decisions. LNG, is a step in the right direction as it provides immediate reductions in GHG emissions, including methane, of up to 23% on a full, lifecycle (or Well-to-Wake) basis and it offers a low-cost, low-risk incremental pathway to decarbonisation via bio-LNG and renewable synthetic LNG (e-LNG).  In addition it virtually eliminates harmful local emissions, such as SOX and NOX.

Narratives promoted by organisations like SNtL risk delaying the investments needed to decarbonise the shipping industry. Rather than disparaging the considerable efforts that first-movers have made in initiating the first transformation in maritime propulsion since the move from coal to oil, perhaps they could reflect on how they could constructively work with the industry to address the numerous common challenges the introduction of these new fuels face.

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: 17 April, 2023

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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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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.
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July 21, 2026

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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

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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.
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July 21, 2026

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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

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