As the cruise industry begins to deploy its first LNG-powered ships, a new independent study was released that confirms LNG’s reductions in greenhouse gas (GHG) and as a major contributor in meeting IMO’s 2050 GHG targets for the shipping industry.
“We wanted to get an accurate, truthful and verifiable report,” said Chad Verret, Board Chairman of The Society for Gas as a Marine Fuel (SGMF), which along with SEA\LNG, commissioned study. Conducted by independent specialist consultants thinkstep, and reviewed by a panel of academic experts, it is purported to be “the most accurate study of the life cycle GHG emissions and local pollutants from LNG as a marine fuel.
“With this report, we wanted to establish a common baseline of meaningful data that we can all discuss going forward,” said Mark Bell, General Manager of SGMF at the launch event at Seatrade Cruise Global in Miami.
The key message from the study is that the use of LNG shows up to a 21 percent reduction in GHG over the entire life cycle from Well-to-Wake (WtW) when compared with the current oil-based marine fuels. The study was performed for a global average fuel supply inventory currently available and considered the most common ship engine technologies in operation.
The individual study results varied based on the engine technology with between 14 to 21 percent reductions for 2-stroke slow speed engines (the most widely used in the shipping industry) and 7 to 15 percent reductions for 4-stroke medium speed engines (used by short sea shipping and the cruise sectors). The study followed the life cycle approach from Well-to-Wake in accordance with relevant ISO standards. On a Tank-to-Wake basis, the GHG benefits rose up to 28 percent compared with current oil-based marine fuels.
The study also highlights that local pollutants, such as Sulphur oxides (SOX) nitrogen oxides (NOX) and particulate matter, are reduced significantly when using LNG. Further, an indicative analysis showed “that bioLNG and synthetic LNG can provide an additional significant benefit in terms of WtW GHG intensity.” For example, the reports highlights that a blend of 20 percent bioLNG can reduce GHG emissions by a further 13 percent when compared to 100 percent fossil fuel LNG.
In presenting the study, they also highlighted that the results are based on the current status of the industry. Ongoing optimization in the fuel supply chain and engine technology developments, they believe, will further enhance the benefits of LNG as a marine fuel.
These results are significant for the cruise industry as it works to meet its own goals for reductions in emissions as part of the 2020 regulations and longer-term goals. Carnival Corporation’s AIDA Cruises became the first cruise line to implement LNG, first testing it as an in port fuel source, and then in December 2018, the AIDANova became the cruise ship to use LNG as its fuel source both at sea and in port. Currently, 25 cruise ships, or approximately a quarter of the new cruise orders, are for LNG powered ships. In addition to AIDA, Costa Cruises will deploy an LNG ship in 2019 followed by ships for Carnival Cruise Line, Disney Cruise Line, MSC, P&O, Princess Cruises, Royal Caribbean International, and TUI Cruises.
Chad Verret, Board Chairman of SGMF was quoted in the official press release as concluding, “LNG meets and exceeds all current and 2020 marine fuel compliance requirements for context and emissions, local and GHG. With the world LNG Bunker Vessel fleet doubling in the next 18 months and those vessels being deployed at major bunkering hubs, LNG as a ship fuel is rapidly becoming readily available.”
