Stena Bulk sees LNG as decarbonisation pathway

The head of Danish shipping giant Stena Bulk said April 9 that LNG was among the options for a fuel that will contribute to its decarbonisation goals.

Stena Bulk said yesterday that it would deploy by next year the first of three planned methanol-fuelled vessels in coordination with Proman, a global leader in methanol, fertiliser and other natural gas derived products.

“By 2050, all cargo carried by the Stena Bulk fleet will need to be climate neutral, which will become a shared responsibility between Stena Bulk and its customers,” the company stated April 8.

Asked by NGW where LNG fits in with its carbon-neutral goals, CEO Erik Hanell said Stena Bulk was an innovative company that is not afraid of testing new technologies.

“LNG is one of the pathways to achieve some of the goals and maybe all goals depending on how the industry will develop the technologies around fossil fuel,” he said. “I am of the opinion that we will find solutions for this and other fossil fuels to a degree that it will remain as one of the most important energy carriers for a long time ahead.”

Stena Bulk said that next year’s deployment of the methanol-fuelled vessel was one of five steps toward carbon neutrality.

Shippers are utilising a variety of alternative fuels to meet emission guidelines outlined by the International Maritime Organisation (IMO). The IMO 2020 rules require shippers to reduce their nitrogen and sulphur emissions through the use of gas-exhaust cleaning systems known as scrubbers or by switching to lower-sulphur fuels including LNG, among others.