HANSA 01-2021

SCHiFFStECHNiK | SHiP tECHNoloGY
LNG’s chicken and egg problem solved?
looking at the global orderbook, lNG gains attraction as an option for getting closer
to the iMo’s climate targets, as a big chunk of contracted ships will use gas as a fuel.
The availability of bunkering infrastructure has changed many minds
© SGMF
Mark Bell, General Manager, SGMF
As calculated recently by Clarksons
research, 15.2% of all newbuildings
– and 27.2% by gross tonnage – currently
in the global orderbook will use »alternative
fuels«. Those fuels – lNG, lPG, biofuel,
methanol, ethane, Hydrogen, ammonia,
battery/hybrid propulsion – are
currently in use on 3.5% of the operating
fleet, the data shows. lNG is the most
popular among these fuels representing
10.7% of the order book and 24.6% in
terms of gross tonnage.
Clarksons research’s Stephen Gordon
says that »lNG’s case as a legitimate
stepping stone to meet emissions targets
is supported by port facility investment.«
outside of lNG carriers, Clarksons
is »now tracking 227 (15.1 mill. Gt)
confirmed lNG fuel capable newbuilding
orders, above the 202 in the
trading fleet. lNG fuel uptake by segment
is lead by tankers (34 in the fleet
plus 72 newbuild orders), Fer- ry (50 plus
24), Containerships (11 plus 30), offshore
(32 plus 19) and Cruise (7 plus 28). lPG
as a fuel is gaining good traction within
the lPG carrier fleet (1 in fleet, 37 newbuild
orders plus 11 pending retrofits).«
Gordon also counts 124 ports with
lNG bunkering facilities and forecasts
170 ports to provide gas bunkering infrastructure
by the year 2022. over the
same period, the lNG bunkering vessel
fleet is projected to double.
in fact, iMo regulations and climate
targets as well as the EU’s push to include
shipping into the Emissions trading
Scheme have changed dynamics lately
in favour of lNG. But the regulatory side
is just one factor. Mark Bell, general manager
of the industry organization Socie-
Not the first large LNG powered vessel, yet a major milestone: »CMA CGM Jacques Saadé«
32 HaNSa – international Maritime Journal 01 | 2021