Shipping companies set out to measure and manage methane emissions

Several shipping companies joined the Methane Abatement in Maritime Innovation Initiative (MAMII) at an LNG Forum event in Qatar's Doha.

PHOTO: Signatories from seven companies at an LNG Forum event in Qatar's Doha. MAMII

Formed in September 2022, MAMII aims to “minimise the environmental impact of liquefied natural gas (LNG) in shipping” by measuring and managing methane emissions.

The initiative is led by Lloyd's Register's Safetytech Accelerator and backed by seven tanker owners: CoolCo, United Overseas Management, Capital Gas, Celsius Tankers, Global Meridian Holdings, Mitsui O.S.K. Lines and TMS Cardiff Gas.

The initiative considers LNG as “a popular and widely used transition fuel” among shipowners.

MAMII has so far conducted research and analysis to map out well-to-wake emissions from LNG on a theoretical basis. Over the next few months the initiative partners will move the project into a physical phase by piloting methane measurement on ships.

“Measuring actual emissions is a critical step in the decarbonisation of the shipping journey,” Safetytech Accelerator’s head of partnerships Steve Price says.

The initiative signatories have not committed to reduce their fleets' methane emissions by any specific amount after emissions have been mapped out and measured. But they acknowledge that "the environmental benefits of using LNG could be partially negated due to any unburned methane passing through the combustion process."

Despite being viewed as a low-carbon fuel option, LNG-fuelled vessels still emit about 75% as much CO2 as oil-based marine fuels. Methane slip remains a key concern as uncombusted methane has about 28 times higher global warming potential than CO2 over a 100-year period.

“We firmly believe that LNG will continue to be a major part of the energy mix and reducing the environmental impact of the value chain is one of the key challenges that we are facing,” said Capital Gas Ship’s managing director Miltos Zisis.

Capital Gas manages a fleet of 16 LNG-carriers that are either already in operation or under construction.  

Existing members of the initiative include Maran Gas Maritime, Mediterranean Shipping Company, Carnival Corporation, Seaspan Corporation, Shell, Lloyd’s Register and Knutsen Group.

Data from classification society DNV shows that 368 LNG-fuelled vessels are currently in operation and that another 174 LNG-fuelled vessels are on order for delivery this year. The LNG-fuelled fleet is projected to grow by 188 from last year to this year.

By Tuhin Roy

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