LNG has become shipping’s leading alternative fuel, with more than 1,550 LNG-fuelled ships in service or on order, but methane slip, the unburned methane escaping engines, is undercutting its climate case.
Since January 1, the EU ETS has covered methane emissions from ships, and FuelEU Maritime applies a default slip of 3.1% for uncertified engines. Independent drone and stack measurements under the FUMES project found the most common low-pressure four-stroke engines averaged 6.4%. Verified low-slip results exist, including about 1.5% on two MSC Cruises ships, and a Japanese catalyst trial on the bulker Reimei cut slip 98% at about 75% load.
The article concludes that LNG’s place now depends on proof: slip “measured at the stack, verified by a third party and demonstrated at sea.”
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Original Article from gCaptain | Written by Mike Schuler
