SGMF’s latest white paper, “Navigating Green Seas: Addressing Emissions from Low and Zero Carbon Marine Fuels,” outlines a strategic framework for reducing greenhouse gas emissions through an inclusive, fuel-agnostic approach.
By emphasizing an onboard emission reduction culture and stringent safety standards, SGMF (Society for Gas as a Marine Fuel) ensures that the transition to alternative fuels such as LNG, methanol, ammonia, and hydrogen is both practical and environmentally responsible.
Can shipping achieve net zero? And, crucially, how can this be done safely and sustainably?
Gianpaolo Bendetti, SGMF’s Principal Advisor – Energy Transition & Regulatory Affairs highlights that, at its core, SGMF proposes that companies adopt an onboard emission reduction culture guided by a zero-emission goal. This approach should address every stage of fuel use, from bunkering to onboard combustion, as the optimal method for achieving the International Maritime Organization’s GHG Strategy.
As informed, this proposed culture is grounded in fuel ‘agnosticism’, recognising that a mix of different fuels will be needed to achieve decarbonisation across different ship types and operational profiles. The approach shows how the transition to sustainable marine fuels can be inclusive and practical, accommodating the varying needs of the shipping industry.
From methanol to hydrogen or from biofuels to synthetics, the new fuels come with unique safety challenges and operational considerations. Ships that use these fuels need more complex systems to manage risks such as cryogenic temperatures and toxicity, and this complexity comes at a cost in the build and operation of the vessels as well as in crew training.
As explained, to keep shipping decarbonisation on course, industry stakeholderds need to understand these innovative fuels, their emissions, and the sources of these emissions, particularly as they start to adopt new ones.
SGMF aims to address all the potential GHGs and pollutants from each fuel, such commitment extends beyond the GHGs and pollutants currently regulated or soon to be regulated by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) promoting a holistic approach that considers all the possible environmental impacts. By doing this, they can arrive at a more comprehensive strategy for reducing the maritime sector’s footprint.
Methane and LNG
LNG is considered a cleaner burning fuel due to its lower carbon content and fewer impurities. The combustion of
methane or LNG produces carbon dioxide (CO2), water vapour (H2O), and smaller amounts of other pollutants. It virtually eliminates sulphur oxides (SOx) emissions and significantly reduces particulate matter (PM) emissions, but methane slip poses a significant GHG challenge. Managing and monitoring fugitive and operational emissions of methane are crucial.
Methanol combustion produces CO2 and water, emitting fewer pollutants compared to traditional fuels. It significantly reduces SOx, nitrogen oxides (NOx), black carbon, and PM emissions. But if it is not completely combusted, it can produce formaldehyde, a volatile organic compound (VOC) with environmental and health risks. Methanol spills also pose environmental threats because of its water solubility and high volatility.
Ammonia as a marine fuel offers nearly zero CO2 tank-to-wake emissions, but combustion can produce nitrogen by products such as NOx and nitrous oxide (N2O). Slip can also take place. Managing these emissions is crucial because
ammonia is toxic and has the potential to form fine particles such as ammonium nitrate (PM2.5) and N2O when reacting in atmosphere. Ammonia marine engines are still in development, and comprehensive emissions data is limited.
Hydrogen combustion primarily produces water vapour, making it a clean burning fuel, but NOx and trace pollutants can be emitted depending on the combustion conditions. Hydrogen’s indirect GHG effects, such as fuel slip and fugitive emissions, have a relatively short-lived impact but need careful management
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It is worth mentioning that the Maritime Technologies Forum (MTF) has recently released guidelines for the safe management of alternative fuels, suggesting that companies should implement a structured risk management within SMS to proactively identify improvements and learn through non-conformities, accidents and hazardous occurrences related to alternative fuels, or through other companies or pilots.
