LNG shipping: from clever one-offs to multifaceted strategy

In the maritime industry liquefied natural gas (LNG) has enormous potential. “The Norwegians are the world leaders,” says LNG expert Jeffrey Seisler.

Former director of the European Natural Gas Vehicle Association (ENGVA), now lobbyist and consultant in Brussels, Jeffrey Seisler is knee-deep in LNG. When still at ENGVA, the association was a partner in a European Commission-funded project for LNG in-land Norwegian tankers. He also put on six liquefied natural gas vehicle (L-NGV) workshops in thirteen years to help the industry focus on the key actions needed to make LNG a more widely understood and accepted part of the alternative fuel mix. Jeffrey's got interesting experiences and knowledge to share and some points to make.

“Ships and trains burn the lowest quality fuel,” Jeffrey explains the need for change, “they use 'bottom of the barrel sludge' and there is also the problem of fuel leakage. But LNG supply is still an issue and it is time to develop a market.”

Clever
Jeffrey talks about some interesting developments: “Various Norwegian ships have a Mitsubishi electrically driven engine. That allows the captain to bring a ship to a quick stop, which is useful in the narrow Norwegian fjords. You just flip the switch.” The system is comparable to the dual fuel system MindsinMotion.net described in an earlier article, only that involved a primarily natural gas engine, combined with a diesel injection for ignition.

Another clever innovation would be LNG freight cooling. Jeffrey: “An American fishing boat, fishing shrimp in the Gulf of Mexico, served as a proof of concept in a pilot project back in 1983. The hull of the ship had double walls; the layer in between was filled with LNG to cool the shrimp. The 'jacket of fuel' was a storage solution and saved USD10,000 of diesel to run a refrigerator to keep the shrimp cold.”

Before clean diesel existed, marine applications of natural gas were far more consumer friendly than diesel. Jeffrey cites an early example: “In the mid- and late eighties Disneyland used natural gas boats for its Jungle Cruise. Before, because of the canopy effect of the trees in the 'jungle', air and water were filled with diesel particulates. The leaves died and the particulates clogged the water filters. Compressed natural gas (CNG) was the solution. Disney also used the heavy CNG fuel tanks as ballast in their submarine rides.”

Another example: “Austin, Texas, has a Riverwalk full of restaurants and cafés on the water front. In the past, the diesel fumes of police and tourist boats passing by bothered visitors a great deal. In a quiet, small scale revolution, natural gas boats were introduced.”

Synapses
So there are scattered initiatives, but there is no clear strategy. Jeffrey, as a Brussels-based lobbyist, advocates a more balanced European policy for alternative fuels.

Shipping fuels are “part of the equation,” he assures. “Multifaceted problems have multifaceted solutions. Shipping comes with (dirty) engines, regulations (or the absence of them) and cities around major rivers that have to deal with air and water quality issues. If pollution doesn't come from the ships, it comes from the diesel trucks hauling away the cargo. These different aspects are all connected, so strategic plans are required.”

The Marine Environment Protection Committee of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) will be holding its sixtieth session in March 2010. In the meantime, they've agreed to a package of voluntary technical and operational measures “to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from international shipping.”

Jeffrey: “The synapses between the larger natural gas industry and the maritime world haven't closed yet, but there is a start. Some time ago you could cook on CNG but it was still illegal in some places to use it as shipping fuel.”

Big break
But for a major breakthrough there are still some things missing. “There are no huge technical issues in shipping,” says Jeffrey, “but three elements are needed. Knowledge, specifically wider information sharing, but even the basic knowledge that LNG shipping is possible, is the first element. Secondly, stakeholders, especially energy companies, need to talk to the maritime industry. That has already begun. The third element consists of standards and regulations, and best practices.”

Meanwhile, liquefied biogas and liquefied biomethane (LBM) are more of a niche. Jeffrey: “Biogas will be used locally, where the necessary feedstock and materials are available. Still, in the multifaceted solution I was talking of, it is important. Where the circumstances are favourable, biogas can save money, which can flow back into the local economy.”

Deprived
Availability is an issue for all fuel types. Norway has immense natural gas reserves, but some countries are deprived of such sources.

“LNG has potential in large energy consuming countries,” says Jeffrey. “Korea and Japan have no gas reserves of their own, but they have an excellent LNG network. Korea is planning to have twenty thousand LNG buses in 2030. In a controlled economy such targets are attainable. The same goes for China.

Jeffrey is all for diversity and local solutions. “In places like Japan and Korea the LNG is re-gassified into the natural gas pipeline network. Sometimes, there is no point in vaporising the fuel if it will be used directly in vehicles as LNG, as now is being done in Sweden. Another possibility is to have liquefied-to-compressed gas stations so customers can fuel with cold LNG or it can be vaporized into compressed natural gas without using a compressor. That way CNG vehicles also can fuel at the same station. Use whatever suits you best.”