LNG/LPG and Alternative Fuel Ships

The search for alternative fuels in the marine industry is currently driven by an increasing environment awareness and new regulations to be adopted. The IMO sulphur cap on ships operating outside designated emission control areas starting on the 1^st January 2020 to 0.50% m/m, and the reduction of GHG emissions from international shipping to 50% by 2050 are creating an incentive to find adequate compliant fuels.

The new strategies for bunkering in short sea and coastal trade as well as floating production, storage and offloading systems are becoming a reality in recent years. The IGF Code has included mandatory provisions for the arrangement, installation, control and monitoring of machinery, equipment and systems using low flashpoint fuels, such as LNG. Nevertheless, provisions for Methyl/Ethyl alcohols, Fuels Cells and Low Flashpoint Oil Fuels are being drafted for first revision of the code.

There is a wide variety of fuel that will be compliant with these sulphur content regulations, such as Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG), Electricity, Biodiesel, and Methanol, Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG), Ethanol, Dimethyl Ether (DME), Biogas, Synthetic Fuels and Hydrogen.