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Study: eMethanol well-to-wake CO2 emissions 94% lower when compared to fossil marine fuels

Liquid Wind white paper reinforces calls for maritime regulators to assess the carbon impact of marine fuels on a lifecycle basis, says CEO & Founder Claes Fredriksson.
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Liquid Wind is developing FlagshipONE

eMethanol producer Liquid Wind on Monday (11 April) said its lifecycle assessment concluded eMethanol produced from renewable energy sources can have carbon equivalence of up to 94% lower than fossil fuels.

The results are contained in a white paper* produced by Liquid Wind ahead of a webinar to be held on April 28. The white paper’s conclusion reinforces calls for maritime regulators to assess the carbon impact of marine fuels on a lifecycle basis, in the process providing the means to dramatically lower the carbon emissions from merchant shipping.

To meet the growing demand for carbon neutral fuel and the need to reduce CO2 emissions, Liquid Wind is developing FlagshipONE, a commercial-scale renewable eMethanol facility which will capture CO2 emissions from a biomass combined heat and power plant.

To quantify the environmental benefit, Liquid Wind performed an internal lifecycle analysis (LCA) to determine the emissions of the eMethanol to be produced at FlagshipONE, considering all stages of the eMethanol lifecycle and identifying the GHG reduction potential compared to conventional fuels.

The well-to-gate emissions of FlagshipONE eMethanol (life-cycle emission when leaving the production facility) are relatively small, at around -1.3 kg CO2eq per kg of eMethanol produced. About -1.4 kg of CO2 is from capturing the carbon and is credited as negative emissions.

When the scope is expanded to include the ‘use phase’, well-to-wake, the emissions of transport and combustion are considered. The captured CO2 is re-emitted, which results in a net positive climate change potential of about 5 gCO2eq/MJ.

Considering life cycle emissions, fossil-based fuels emit around 85-90 gCO2eq/MJ, which results in a reduction of about 94% when replaced with wind-based eMethanol. The well-to-wake emissions of eMethanol are compared to further marine fuel alternatives based on data provided in Brynolf, (2014) of Chalmers University, Sweden.

“Together with our consortium partners, Liquid Wind is demonstrating the potential that sustainable marine fuels can make to reducing carbon emissions when carbon is considered on a lifecycle basis,” said Claes Fredriksson, CEO and founder of Liquid Wind. 

“With further regulatory alignment, marine fuel buyers and end users can understand how to make their operations cleaner and greener and demonstrate that to their stakeholders.”

Liquid Wind has used Material Energy Flow Analysis (MEFA) to determine the carbon inventory of its production process. The MEFA has a modular approach, which handles the complexity of the system by carrying out an input-output analysis for each production step, which are investigated individually. All direct and indirect material or energy flows for each module are captured and include the scope 1 and 2 emissions.

*To download the Liquid Wind white paper and register for the webinar click here: https://www.methanol.org/lca-modelling-establishing-the-business-case-for-low-carbon-methanol/ 

 

Photo credit and source: Liquid Wind
Published: 12 April, 2022

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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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