Connect with us

Alternative Fuels

SEA-LNG calls UCL report on LNG capable ships ‘a flawed academic exercise, detached from reality’

Paper ignores fact that LNG dual fuel engines already provide ship owners with insurance against stranded assets, says the global multi-sector industry coalition.
Admin

Published

4 years ago

on

Picture110

Global multi-sector industry coalition SEA-LNG on Friday (23 September) responded to UCL Energy Institute’s report on ‘Exploring methods for understanding stranded value: case study on LNG-capable ships’:

The recent study from UCL, Exploring methods for understanding stranded value: case study on LNG capable ships, is a flawed academic exercise, detached from reality.

In setting out a framework for their analysis the authors make innumerable contestable and unsupported statements.

Somewhat confusingly, given the focus of their paper on stranded value risk, they ignore the fact that LNG dual fuel engines already provide ship owners with an insurance against stranded assets, as they can burn traditional marine fuels and are currently doing so in Europe as a consequence of the unprecedented spike in LNG prices.

Further, their analysis is based on an assumption that the decarbonisation pathway offered by LNG via bioLNG in the medium term to synthetic, or e-LNG, in the long term, will be less “competitive” than ammonia or other electro- fuels. This is highly problematic for a number of reasons. Predicting the future production costs of electro-fuels such as e-ammonia, e-methanol and e-LNG is extremely difficult given that 80% of the cost of producing these fuels is associated with the cost of producing the common renewable hydrogen feedstock. This can only be produced from renewable energy sources which will take years to develop to the necessary scale. Suggesting a particular electro-fuel will ‘win’ based on price, is reckless and is, at best, a guess at this point in time.

Ammonia is a highly toxic fuel, with a volumetric energy density, approximately 50% that of LNG. This means more toxic fuel and less cargo. Regulatory agencies around the world will need to work to counter the dangers of ammonia to protect seafarers as well as port workers and port communities.

Ammonia-fuelled engines are in the very early stages of development with massive uncertainties on issues such as pilot fuel requirements, GHG and NOx emissions and potentially deadly ammonia slip. Addressing these issues will demand significant amounts of time and money. Finally, massive infrastructure investments will be required to produce and deliver e-ammonia (and indeed other fuels such as e-methanol and e-liquid hydrogen) to the ships that may use it. Contrast this to the LNG pathway where the transportation and storage infrastructure already exists and is growing globally.

The results reported in this study are meaningless as they are based on subjective, negative assumptions on LNG. Such flawed analysis can confuse the industry, potentially providing ship owners and investors with justification to sit back, wait and continue to emit GHGs rather than invest in a technology like LNG that offers immediate GHG reductions today together with a clear and competitive pathway to decarbonisation in the decades ahead. Waiting is not an option.

Related: Study: LNG-capable fleet could reach total ‘value at risk’ of ~USD 1trillion by 2030
Related: SEA-LNG slams ICCT: Report on LNG Pathway makes ‘flawed assumptions based on outdated data’

 

Photo credit: SEA-LNG
Published: 26 September, 2022

Related Topics:
Continue Reading

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.

Admin

Published

15 hours ago

on

July 21, 2026

By

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

Continue Reading

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.
Admin

Published

15 hours ago

on

July 21, 2026

By

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

Continue Reading

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.
Admin

Published

15 hours ago

on

July 21, 2026

By

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

Continue Reading

Trending