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Global LNG Infrastructure Needs To Develop For Shipping


Due to the increasing use of liquid natural gas (LNG) as a fuel in the marine transport sector, the infrastructure around the world for this kind of fuel needs to be improved.

Hellenic Shipping News pointed out that, as of November last year, there were 111 LNG-fuelled ships on order. When these come into service, this will nearly double the number of vessels using LNG around the world.

While this growing demand is good news, it also means that more LNG bunkering sites need to be established at ports around the world to ensure that all of these vessels can access fuel. Another potential issue for the shipping sector is that not all of the current LNG infrastructure will be suitable for the size of some ships that are now in use.

Speaking to the publication, Lauran Wetemans, Shell LNG fuel general manager, said that there is the potential for the marine LNG sector to be “disruptive” in much the same way that the electric vehicle sector is disrupting infrastructure on land.

Mr Wetemans added that the barrier to more vessels using LNG as a marine fuel is more to do with the infrastructure to supply the fuel, rather than the availability of the gas itself.

Earlier this month, research by DNV GL highlighted the growing volume of LNG being shipped around the world, predicting that its consumption will peak by 2035, while oil and coal fall out of favour.

The growing use of renewable energy sources will play a role in this, while the firm is also expecting LNG to take a bigger share of the fuel market for the shipping industry as oil becomes a less popular choice.

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