LNG Bunkering

WinGD: Where next for LNG bunker fuel after IMO carbon pricing pause?

Benny Hilström says NZF delay has made more operators consider LNG. Without a global carbon pricing policy, it remains the most affordable, widely available and well-established of all marine alternative fuels.

Published

8 months ago

November 21, 2025

Admin

WinGD: Where next for LNG fuel after IMO carbon pricing pause?

Benny Hilstroem, Vice President of Market Development at Swiss marine power company WinGD, in an article published on Thursday (20 November), highlighted that LNG remains a strong, credible transition pathway, especially as the industry navigates uncertainty around global carbon pricing and clean-fuel incentives:

With or without the IMO Net Zero Framework, LNG remains a viable transition pathway towards decarbonisation and, with X-DF technology, ultra-low air pollution.

Going into the extraordinary session of IMO’s Marine Environment Protection Committee in mid-October, many in the industry had high hopes that the Net Zero Framework (NZF) would be adopted. WinGD was and remains one of the believers; incentivising the production and uptake of clean fuels is the only way to meet both IMO emissions ambitions and wider global climate targets.

The NZF does not mean, as some have suggested, that the case for LNG fuel or for installing dual-fuel LNG technology is over. Just like our X-DF-A ammonia-fuelled and X-DF-M methanol-fuelled engines, our X-DF dual-fuel LNG engines are ready to use zero or near-zero emissions (ZNZ) fuels. In the case of LNG those ZNZ fuels are bio-methane and e-methane, produced using captured carbon and renewable electricity, which can be used without modification and in any blend in X-DF engines.

Had the NZF been adopted with reduction targets and penalties stringent enough to drive people towards bio-methane, and rewards high enough to encourage e-methane production and use, the transition towards those fuels would have come sooner. A pause in implementing the policy only pushes the transition from fossil LNG further down the road.

That is why the NZF delay has made more operators consider LNG propulsion. Without a global carbon pricing policy and immediate e-fuel incentives, it remains the most affordable, widely available and well-established of all marine alternative fuels. Even fossil LNG can push vessels a long way towards the 30% reduction in emissions sought by 2030—an intermediate checkpoint under IMO’s GHG reduction strategy (which remains in place even after the NZF vote postponement).

WinGD’s X-DF concept has been in service since 2016, with more than 900 engines sold. Over that time we have amassed more than 8 million running hours of experience and continuously refined fuel consumption and emissions performance via innovations including iCER and VCR technology.

Advancing GHG benefits

Take methane slip as an example. In less than a decade we have reduced slippage by 60%, thanks to iCER, VCR and other design adaptations. Combined with low fuel consumption, this means that X-DF outperforms current high-pressure LNG engines in total greenhouse gas emissions in several vessel applications. In even more applications, low opex and initial system costs mean that total vessel lifecycle costs remain lower for X-DF than for high-pressure counterparts, regardless of IMO penalties.

Time in the market and continuous improvement have enabled us to develop an engine platform that will yield the best performance whether operating in fossil LNG or biological or synthetic derivatives. Regardless of the status of NZF, those years of refinements will pay dividends for operators choosing methane.

What happens next is far from clear. If the global framework were to fail, a patchwork of regional regulatory regimes would likely follow. Across several regions, port authorities are working to lower air pollution in their communities. It is therefore possible that, as regions regulate, they expand the scope of emissions policy to include not only GHG but also air pollutants.

In such a case, X-DF again has benefits for operators, offering the best air pollution profile of any LNG dual-fuel engine. That includes SOx, NOx and particulate matter. While IMO’s threshold requirements for NOx and SOx hide X-DF’s advantages, under schemes where operators pay for polluting the air, its low emissions profile would translate to real cost savings.

The Net Zero Framework would not have killed the use of LNG, but its pause certainly enhances the business case. Regardless, WinGD’s near decade of optimising the X-DF platform mean operators will pay less, whether they use fossil LNG or transition to cleaner variants. And it opens up new opportunities for air pollution improvements that could also have a significant financial impact on operators.

Photo credit: WinGD
Published: 21 November, 2025

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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

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.

Published

5 hours ago

July 21, 2026

Admin

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

Alternative Fuels

ENGINE on Fuel Switch Snapshot: LSMGO surges to greater premium over biofuel

B100 discount to LSMGO widens to $541/mt in Rotterdam; Singapore’s B100 drops to $106/mt below LSMGO; Rotterdam LBM at $639-833/mt discounts to LSMGO.

Published

5 hours ago

July 21, 2026

Admin

ENGINE on Fuel Switch Snapshot: LSMGO surges to greater premium over biofuel

Once a week, bunker intelligence platform ENGINE will publish a snapshot of alternative and conventional bunker fuel prices in the world’s two biggest bunkering hubs. The following is the latest snapshot:

20 July 2026

B100 discount to LSMGO widens to $541/mt in Rotterdam
Singapore’s B100 drops to $106/mt below LSMGO
Rotterdam LBM at $639-833/mt discounts to LSMGO

B100’s premium over HSFO in Rotterdam has narrowed by $50/mt over the past week to $64/mt, while its discount to VLSFO has widened by $83/mt to $105/mt.

B100 has become far more competitive against LSMGO in Rotterdam, with its discount widening by $180/mt over the past week to $541/mt, as a surge in conventional fuel prices left B100 broadly unchanged by comparison.

B100’s price has risen by $109/mt in Singapore, but its discount to LSMGO has still widened by $102/mt to $106/mt, as LSMGO surged by an even greater $211/mt.

Rotterdam’s LNG premium over VLSFO has widened by $35/mt to $201/mt for vessels with Otto medium speed (Otto MS) engines. For vessels with diesel slow speed (diesel SS) engines, LNG has flipped to a $15/mt premium over VLSFO, from a $22/mt discount the prior week.

Liquefied biomethane (LBM) discounts to VLSFO in Rotterdam have narrowed by $50-52/mt to $203-396/mt over the past week. Against LSMGO, LBM discounts have widened by $45-47/mt to $639-833/mt, depending on engine type.

In Singapore, LNG is now $42/mt cheaper than LSMGO for vessels with Otto MS engines, and $134/mt cheaper for vessels with diesel SS engines.

ENGINE on Fuel Switch Snapshot: LSMGO surges to greater premium over biofuel

Liquid fuels

HSFO and VLSFO prices in Rotterdam have jumped by $66/mt and $99/mt respectively over the past week, while LSMGO has surged by an even steeper $196/mt. A $9.69/bbl ($71/mt) rise in front-month ICE Brent futures, to $87.94/bbl ($645/mt), drove bunker prices sharply higher across the board.

Bunker fuel availability is tight for prompt delivery dates in the ARA ports, with buyers advised to enquire about stems between 5-7 days ahead to get good coverage, a trader said.

Rotterdam’s B100 price has risen by $16/mt over the past week. Dutch ZRE A ticket prices were unchanged at €107.50/mtCO2e.

Singapore’s HSFO and VLSFO prices have risen by $130/mt and $132/mt respectively, while its LSMGO price has gained an even steeper $211/mt over the past week.

VLSFO availability in Singapore has been tight, with several suppliers reporting low stock levels. Recommended lead times have widened from 13–17 days last week to 14–19 days now.

Liquid gases

Rotterdam’s LNG prices have surged by $134-136/mt over the past week, while its LBM prices have climbed by $149-151/mt.

LBM discounts to LNG in Rotterdam have narrowed by $15/mt to $404-411/mt.

Singapore’s LNG bunker benchmarks have surged by $196-197/mt over the past week.

By Erik Hoffmann

Photo credit and source: ENGINE
Published: 21 July, 2026