08AUG2019 - NEWS - LNG as fuel set to heat up

The implementation of the IMO sulphur cap could accelerate the uptake of LNG as a fuel in the OSV sector

OSV owners in Norway and the US were among the earliest adopters of LNG as a marine fuel, with LNG-fuelled Viking Energy entering service in 2003. Since then, however, LNG as a marine fuel has been on the back burner for the OSV market, with only about three dozen vessels in operation, on order or under construction.

ABS global engineering division manager of engineering services Keith Yeo believes that will change after the IMO 0.5% global sulphur cap is implemented on 1 January 2020. Implementation of the global sulphur cap will reduce sulphur content in fuels from 3.5% to 0.5%. This, coupled with the 0.1% limit for SOx and particulate matter (PM) – which has been in force since 2015 in emission control areas (ECAs) in the North Sea, Baltic and North America – makes LNG an attractive option for owners. Burning LNG as fuel eliminates SOx and PM to near zero and cuts NOx emissions by about 90%. In 2050, shipping will be faced with cutting its greenhouse gas emissions by 50%.