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Alternative Fuels

LEAKED: EU’s supposedly ‘green’ shipping law will lock in fossil fuels, says T&E

Most biofuels are worse for the climate than the fuels they replace, and those that do offer emissions savings are not available at scale, says T&E.
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An EU law intended to drive the uptake of clean fuels by ships will actually lock in the use of fossil fuels for decades, according to a leaked proposal, making the European Green Deal goal of decarbonisation by 2050 impossible, according to Transport & Environment (T&E).

T&E, which obtained the documents, said the European Commission could still fix the law by excluding liquified natural gas (LNG) and crop-based biofuels and providing incentives for green e-fuels like renewable hydrogen and ammonia.

More than half (55%) of the energy used by ships calling at EU ports could be LNG and biofuels by 2035, according to T&E’s analysis of the proposal’s ‘climate’ targets. This is despite LNG offering minimal emissions reductions and, when burned, releasing methane – a global warming gas up to 36 times more potent than CO2. Most biofuels are worse for the climate than the fuels they replace, and those that do offer emissions savings are not available at scale.

Faig Abbasov, shipping programme director at T&E, said: “This supposedly green fuels law would push the cheapest alternatives, which are also the most destructive. Counting fossil gas and biofuels as green will lock shipping into decades of further pollution while we should be promoting renewable hydrogen and ammonia. There’s still time to kick out fossil fuels and stop the European Green Deal turning shipping’s transition into an ecological disaster.”

Biofuels would provide one-fifth of the fuel of ships calling at EU ports in 2035, according to the analysis of the draft law. If all of it comes from used cooking oil (UCO), this would drive up demand by EU transport for UCO by an additional 5.1 Mt in 2030, further increasing the gap with what can be supplied sustainably to Europe. The EU’s own auditors have raised concerns about imports of UCO because of inadequate systems to stop virgin oils like palm, which drive deforestation, being passed off as used.

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Faig Abbasov said: “It’s not too late to save the world’s first green shipping fuel mandate. The EU Commission should exclude LNG, crop biofuels and, at a minimum, apply the same sustainability criteria for waste biofuels as under the Renewable Energy Directive. There also needs to be incentives for the uptake of e-fuels, green hydrogen and ammonia, such as dedicated sub-targets or multipliers to boost their competitiveness.”

 

Photo credit: Sara Kurfess
Published: 24 June, 2021

 

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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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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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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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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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