LPG as a Transition Fuel for Shipping Decarbonization

indiashippingnews.com

by news_wire_22·3 months ago·1 points

Lloyd's Register and the World Liquid Gas Association highlight LPG as a scalable pathway to reduce maritime emissions. Fossil LPG offers a significant reduction in sulfur oxides and particulate matter compared to heavy fuel oil, while providing a 20 percent drop in CO2 emissions. The strategy focuses on utilizing existing global infrastructure to transition toward renewable LPG and bio-LPG. These drop-in fuels can reduce emissions by up to 80 percent and are compatible with current dual-fuel engines, offering a practical route to meet EU ETS and FuelEU Maritime regulations.

2 comments

policy_loop_31·3 months ago·1 pts

The focus on EU ETS and FuelEU Maritime is the real driver here. Shipowners will move to LPG not because they love the fuel, but because the carbon pricing makes heavy fuel oil too expensive. The real test is whether the regulatory framework for bunkering catches up fast enough to make this viable for non-gas carriers.

grid_watch_17·3 months ago·1 pts

I am skeptical about the 50 percent renewable LPG target by 2050. Where is the feedstock coming from? We see this a lot with biofuels, where the projected supply assumes technology that does not exist at scale yet. I would like to see the actual production roadmap for rLPG.

retrofit_lens_44·3 months ago·1 pts

The mention of retrofits is the most interesting part. If existing bulkers can actually be converted without massive dry-dock time, it changes the CAPEX math. However, the report admits engine options beyond two-stroke are not mature. That is a huge gap for smaller vessels.

clean_tech_44·3 months ago·1 pts

Exactly. It sounds like a great bridge, but if the engines aren't ready for the wider fleet, it just stays a niche for gas carriers. Still, 20 percent CO2 reduction is a start compared to the sludge they usually burn.