Report sees room for LPG to expand beyond gas carrier fleet
In the United Kingdom, Lloyd’s Register published a report on liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) as a marine fuel, finding that 151 dual-fuel LPG Gas Carriers are already in service with 124 more on order. The report points to other vessel types beyond Gas Carriers as the larger opportunity for LPG’s expansion in shipping going forward.
LPG offers the highest volumetric energy density after marine diesel oil among alternative fuels, along with established global supply chains that ease bunkering infrastructure buildup compared with other options, the report says. Of 500 LPG terminals worldwide, many could become bunkering points for non-gas carriers as compliance and supply chain barriers are addressed.
Renewable dimethyl ether, a synthetic fuel chemically similar to LPG, is presented as a complementary pathway that can be distributed and used through the same infrastructure as LPG at a blend of up to 20 percent by weight. The report says renewable DME can be produced from feedstocks including agricultural residues, forest residues, and municipal waste.
Category: Sustainable Marine Fuels
