PLENTY OF LNG FOR MARINE FUEL

摘要

The U.S. is now the world's largest producer of natural gas. Highlighting shale basins such as the Marcellus, Utica and Barnett, the Energy Information Administration (IEA) and the Potential Gas Committee have estimated that there is a 100-year supply of natural gas. Thus, it appears there is plenty of space for the maritime industry to use LNG as a marine fuel. Utilizing natural gas as a marine fuel would help ship owners and operators comply with international requirements to reduce air pollution from oceangoing vessels. MARPOL Annex Ⅵ is an agreement covering pollution from ships and developed through the International Maritime Organization (IMO), which has resulted in Emission Control Areas. Effective January 1, 2015, the maximum sulfur (SOx) content in bunker fuel permitted inside Emission Control Area (ECA) zones of the U.S., North Europe and the Baltic Sea will be reduced from 1% to 0.1%. When transiting ECAs, ship operators will be required to switch to a more expensive distillate fuel (i.e. marine gas oil) or install relatively expensive exhaust filters, known as scrubbers. LNG is also an option. However, in June, the IEA said that scrubbers and LNG cannot easily be deployed by January 2015. This is not stopping some owners and operators in the U.S.-flag domestic fleet from taking advantage of LNG for its fueling needs.