Alternative Fuels

SSI publishes white paper on bunker fuel sustainability amid global effort to decarbonise

Paper outlines 13 sustainability issues and principles to be taken into consideration to ensure the marine fuels industry is investing in the right infrastructure.

Published

6 years ago

February 9, 2021

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The Sustainable Shipping Initiative (SSI) on Monday (8 February) published a white paper setting out sustainability issues and principles surrounding marine fuels under consideration for shipping’s decarbonisation.

The paper, titled Defining sustainability criteria for zero and low carbon marine fuels, outlines thirteen sustainability issues and principles to be taken into consideration to ensure that the marine fuels the industry is investing in, purchasing and using to transport cargo are sustainable over their entire lifecycle and not causing negative impacts.

The sustainability principles and criteria will feed into the development of industry standards and third-party certification schemes to assure and facilitate the selection of – and demand for –sustainable marine fuels.

As the industry transitions to zero emission shipping, stakeholders across the shipping value chain are increasingly aware of the need to better understand the sustainability issues surrounding the zero and low carbon marine fuels under consideration, noted SSI.

The sustainability principles and criteria can be used by stakeholders across the shipping value chain ranging from shipowners (as fuel purchasers); fuel producers and suppliers; shipping customers; regulators; and investors in zero emission shipping.

SSI said the white paper was developed in consultation with its members and industry stakeholders to identify the sustainability issues and principles around the zero and low carbon marine fuels currently under consideration.

In parallel, academic research conducted in partnership with Copenhagen Business School (CBS) Maritime through the Green Shipping Project will further test, challenge and/or validate SSI’s work, providing a robust evidence base to inform a final set of principles and criteria to be released later this year.

Through this white paper, the SSI said it hopes to spark debate and dialogue around sustainable marine fuels as part of the industry’s decarbonisation journey and invites all interested stakeholders to engage by sharing their feedback.

“Selecting zero and low carbon marine fuels is not just about price, availability and technical feasibility. They must also be sustainable over their entire lifecycle – including the operations around the production, transport, storage, handling and use of marine fuels,” said Nicole Rencoret, Head of Partnerships and Development, Sustainable Shipping Initiative.

SSI invites industry stakeholders to join us as we work towards facilitating standard setting and putting in place certification schemes to assure marine fuels’ sustainability.”

“While it is important that zero-carbon vessels are commercially viable, technically feasible and safe, the sustainability of new fuels also needs to be equally considered,” added Katharine Palmer, Global Sustainability Manager, Lloyd’s Register.

“SSI’s new paper raises the importance of the sustainability of future zero-low carbon fuels from a lifecycle perspective – bearing in mind the impacts from primary feedstock, production processes, transport, storage and operational use, so the problem isn’t moved elsewhere in the supply chain.”

“This SSI white paper seeks to close a knowledge gap that is widely recognised by the parties who will have to implement the move to an alternate fuel/s,” said Simon Bennett, General Manager – Sustainable Development, The China Navigation Company.

“In making this move, the parties must avoid the “leakage” issue that was found with implementing the Montreal Protocol [on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer in 1987], in which responsible organisations, in changing to a lower ODP substance in one area inadvertently increased the Global Warming Potential of the substitute in another area.

“This white paper proposes the wide range of sustainability issues to be considered. We expect that by mid-2021, in cooperation with CBS, we will have robust data to support the next steps; the development of quantitative sustainability requirements for each criterion, and then engagement with competent external parties to certify these.”

Photo credit: Sustainable Shipping Initiative
Published: 9 February, 2021

LNG Bunkering

Shell expands LNG bunkering footprint in Spain with Valencia

As one of the region’s key maritime hubs, the company said Valencia expands the options available to shipowners seeking LNG supply along major shipping routes.

Published

3 days ago

August 14, 2026

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Shell expands LNG bunkering footprint in Spain with Valencia

British oil giant Shell on Thursday (13 August) said Valencia has joined its growing network of bunkering locations, making LNG available as a marine fuel.

The successful completion of the first LNG bunkering operation in Valencia marked an important milestone for Spain and further strengthened Shell’s LNG supply capabilities across the Mediterranean.

In a video shared by the company, bunkering vessel Alice Consulich was shown supplying an undisclosed volume of LNG to the container ship MSC Sabrina.

“As one of the region’s key maritime hubs, Valencia expands the options available to shipowners seeking LNG supply along major shipping routes,” Shell said in a social media post.

Shell said the achievement reflected the strong collaboration across the maritime value chain, including MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company, the Port of Valencia and Fratelli Cosulich Group.

“We look forward to making more LNG bunker deliveries in Valencia and across the Mediterranean as LNG infrastructure and capabilities continue to expand,” the company said.

Photo credit: Shell
Published: 14 August, 2026

LNG Bunkering

Énestas and Power LNG join forces on Galveston bunkering

Énestas will provide capital, LNG transport and storage equipment, and downstream expertise to support Power LNG’s planned liquefaction and marine bunkering facility on Pelican Island.

Published

3 days ago

August 14, 2026

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Stabilis Solutions enter 10-year LNG bunkering supply deal for Port of Galveston

Power LNG (Power LNG) and Mexico’s LNG infrastructure and downstream natural gas company Énestas on Wednesday (12 August) announced the execution of definitive agreements establishing a strategic partnership to accelerate the development of LNG infrastructure at the Port of Galveston.

Under the agreement, Énestas will provide capital, LNG transportation and storage equipment, and downstream operating expertise to support the development of the Harborside Terminal and Project Seawolf, Power LNG’s planned LNG liquefaction and marine bunkering facility on Pelican Island.

The partnership creates an immediate pathway to begin LNG distribution by truck while Project Seawolf is under development, supporting marine fueling, virtual pipeline customers, industrial users, and LNG exports throughout the Gulf Coast, Latin America, and the Caribbean.

“Our vision has always been to establish Galveston as the premier LNG hub for the Gulf Coast,” said Austin Terry, Founder and CEO of Power LNG.

“Énestas brings years of operational experience, proven LNG infrastructure, and a talented team that understands how to deliver LNG safely and efficiently. Together, we can immediately begin serving customers while laying the foundation for one of the most strategic LNG bunkering facilities in North America.”

Project Seawolf will provide LNG for marine bunkering, truck loading, virtual pipeline distribution, and international exports. The facility is strategically located at the Port of Galveston, serving one of the fastest-growing cruise, cargo, and energy corridors in the United States.

For Énestas, the transaction represented an important milestone in the company’s international growth strategy.

“This partnership represents a natural evolution for Énestas as we expand our downstream LNG business into the United States,” said Caio Zapata, Chief Executive Officer of Énestas.

“For more than a decade, Énestas has developed and operated LNG infrastructure throughout Mexico, helping customers transition to cleaner, more reliable energy. Partnering with Power LNG allows us to leverage that experience in one of the most attractive LNG markets in North America. We see tremendous opportunities in marine bunkering, virtual pipeline logistics, industrial LNG supply, and exports to Latin America and the Caribbean, and we are excited to build that future together.”

The companies expect the partnership to support near-term LNG truck loading operations while advancing the long-term development of Project Seawolf, which is designed to become a regional hub for LNG production, marine fueling, and distribution.

The collaboration also establishes a platform to pursue additional downstream LNG opportunities throughout the Gulf Coast, utilising Énestas’ operational expertise together with Power LNG’s project development capabilities.

Photo credit: Port of Galveston
Published: 14 August, 2026

LNG Bunkering

Stabilis delivers more than 150,000 cbm of LNG bunker fuel at Galveston

Company says the advancement of its proposed Stabilis Galveston LNG Facility is a natural progression of its established LNG bunkering footprint in Galveston.

Published

3 days ago

August 14, 2026

Admin

Stabilis delivers more than 150,000 cbm of LNG bunker fuel at Galveston

Clean energy production solutions provider Stabilis Solutions (Stabilis) on Thursday (13 August) said it has completed 97 LNG bunkering operations and delivered more than 150,000 m³ of LNG to customers in the Port of Galveston.

“As the only physical supplier of LNG on the Gulf Coast to reach this milestone, we’ve earned a reputation as a trusted, proven operator — both with local Galveston stakeholders and with the world’s largest cruise operator,” the company said in a social media post.

“That trust is reflected in the 10-year LNG offtake agreement we executed in December 2025.”

The company said the advancement of its proposed Stabilis Galveston LNG Facility is a natural progression of its established LNG bunkering footprint in Galveston.

“As a Houston-based company, we believe in the Texas economy and the future growth of the Port of Galveston,” it added.

“That belief is why we’ve invested heavily over the past four years in the planning, permitting, and engineering design work to develop the most advanced, derisked, shovel-ready small-scale LNG liquefaction project on the Gulf Coast.”

Manifold Times previously reported Stabilis stating that the proposed Stabilis Galveston LNG Facility is anticipated to be in production by the third quarter of 2028.

It will come complete with the delivery of the first new-build, dedicated Jones Act-compliant LNG bunker barge in the Galveston/Houston area.

This comes following Stabilis receiving a Letter of Recommendation from the US Coast Guard following their formal review of the proposed Stabilis Galveston LNG Facility and associated waterfront LNG loading, marine transportation, and LNG bunkering operations in the Port of Galveston.

Photo credit: Stabilis Solutions
Published: 14 August, 2026