US maritime watchdog backs LNG and bio-LNG in NZF

For the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) 2050 shipping decarbonisation framework to work, it must accommodate the broadest possible range of alternative marine fuels, including LNG and bio-LNG, FMC Commissioner Laura DiBella said.

DiBella argued that emissions-reduction targets should be based on the actual viability, affordability, availability, and scalability of alternative fuels, rather than on arbitrary deadlines or limited fuel choices. “Attempts to artificially limit alternate fuel options available to industry will prevent the NZF from becoming an effective substitute for the current system,” she said, underscoring the role LNG and bio-LNG could play in the global maritime sector’s future fuel mix.

The commissioner said LNG and bio-LNG could realistically supply more than 60% of global maritime fuel by 2050.

DiBella said bio-LNG has a particular advantage because of its organic agricultural origins, which allow it to use existing LNG supply chains and serve the growing fleet of LNG-fuelled vessels. That point is especially relevant as the IMO works through unresolved issues in the NZF, where the practical question is not only which fuels can cut emissions, but which ones can be deployed at scale across existing shipping routes and port infrastructure.

She added that the key policy challenge is not restricting alternative fuels because of concerns about future costs, but ensuring that supply and infrastructure investment expand in step with rising demand. “Efforts toward emissions reductions must be linked explicitly to demonstrated viability and realistic availability of alternative fuels, not a pre-determined, rigid implementation date or limited fuel options,” DiBella said.

The comments come ahead of next month’s IMO technical session, where the organisation is expected to address unresolved issues surrounding the NZF after the framework stalled at adoption last year. The session is likely to remain closely watched by shipowners, fuel suppliers and regulators because the shape of the framework will affect how quickly operators can plan fuel procurement and fleet decisions around available alternatives.

The US has long opposed the NZF proposal for global adoption. Earlier this year, Washington called for the NZF to be scrapped entirely.

The article also noted that methane is a highly potent greenhouse gas, trapping 86 times more heat than CO2 over the first 20 years after its release, according to the United Nations Environment Programme.

Source: By Aparupa Mazumder, ENGINE,