Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha (‘K’ Line) has announced its first use of bio-LNG fuel supplied by Shell Western LNG (Shell) to the car carrier ‘Oceanus Highway’.
The vessel recently received 500t of bio-LNG from Shell at the Belgian port of Zeebrugge. The bio-LNG fuel (liquefied bio methane, LBM), derived from renewable organic waste and residue, is ISCC-EU certified to have a carbon intensity of less than zero on a lifecycle basis, from fuel production to consumption.
Bio-LNG is considered a drop-in solution that is fully compatible with existing LNG infrastructure, making it an effective means of decarbonisation for the shipping industry.
Dexter Belmar, VP Shell Downstream LNG said: “Bio-LNG is a scalable solution we can use today. It is great for Shell to collaborate with key shipping players like ‘K’ Line that are taking the lead in the adoption of bio-LNG. Together, we’re helping to build industry-wide momentum in the transition to renewable fuels. Bio-LNG’s increasing availability and commercial viability gives our customers confidence that their dual-fuel LNG fleets are ready to further reduce emissions.”
Hiroto Arai, GM ‘K’ Line Environmental/Technical Strategy Group added: “Our goal is to achieve net-zero GHG emissions by 2050, and reducing greenhouse gas emissions in maritime transport is one of our top priorities. Our beginning to use bio-LNG fuel is a significant step towards our net-zero GHG emissions goal. Additionally, we feel that our partnership with Shell, a leading global energy company, puts us in a position where we will be able to substantially impact the shipping industry’s transition to renewable fuels. We will continue to work diligently on the introduction of renewable fuels to achieve net-zero GHG emissions by 2050.”
‘K’ Line’s aim for 2030 is to improve CO2 emission efficiency by 50% from 2008, surpassing the IMO target of a 40% improvement, with net-zero GHG emissions by 2050. This will be achieved through introducing new low environmental-impact fuels.
Image: ‘Oceanus Highway’ (source: ‘K’ Line)
