Published by the International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT), the paper compares the life-cycle GHG emissions from LNG to those of heavy fuel oil, very low sulfur fuel oil, and marine gas oil (MGO). Results from a study discussed in the paper “show that when combined with a trend toward higher leakage, there is no climate benefit from using LNG, regardless of the engine technology”.
However, the IAPH’s Clean Marine Fuels Working Group told GreenPort: “At this present time LNG is one of the few options available that fulfil IMO2020 requirements demanded by ships when calling at a port. LNG is in demand from owners with newbuilds being delivered or with delivery plans in the near future.”
It added: “The reduction in sulphur and nitrous oxide emissions as well as particulate matters using LNG compared to heavy fuel oil has been well documented, making it an immediate, cleaner alternative.”
Reducing GHGs
The authors of the study drew its conclusion after using a representative life-cycle emission factor as well as the 100-year and 20-year global warming potentials (GWPs) for methane included in the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s Fifth Assessment Report. The 20-year GWP better reflects the need to reduce GHGs quickly, in order to meet the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) climate goals, said the authors.
The study noted that the continued investment in LNG is making it harder to transition to zero-emission vessels.
“Investments should instead be focused on technologies that reduce total life-cycle GHG emissions, including energy-saving technologies, wind-assisted propulsion, zero-emission fuels, batteries, and fuel cells,” said the authors of the study.
The IAPH Working Group said that it focuses on enabling the safe introduction of clean marine fuels in port bunkering. It stated that LNG aside, it supports the facilitation of fuels such as methanol, hydrogen, ammonia, as alternatives to classic heavy fuel oil.
It added: “Although the upstream production of such alternative fuels is beyond the scope of the works of the Clean Marine Fuels working group, we support the sustainable, biological or synthetic production of so-called circular fuels.”