Total Methane and CO2 Emissions from Liquefied Natural Gas Carrier Ships: The First Primary Measurements

Mitigating methane emissions is vital in meeting global climate targets, but there is a lack of understanding of emissions and abatement opportunities to enable this. The natural gas supply chain is a key emission source, where methane emissions from liquefied natural gas (LNG) shipping have until now not been directly measured. This study provides the first measurement and modeling of total methane and CO2 emissions from an LNG carrier on a round trip voyage from the USA to Belgium and bac including loading, laden voyage, unloading, and ballast voyage, measuring emissions from exhaust stacks, vents, and fugitives. Venting and fugitive emissions were extremely low, contributing less than 0.1% of total greenhouse gas emissions. CO2 emissions from fuel usage were also lower than previous estimates due to improved efficiencies in modern engines and ship design. However, methane slip through the engines were higher than those in prior studies, averaging 3.8% across all engines: equating to 0.1% of delivered LNG. Generator engines are not typically included in emissions analyses but were the key cause of methane emissions. Engines exhibited higher methane slip rates at low loads, and optimized operation could reduce slip rates by half. More measurement studies are now needed to better understand fleet emissions and enable cost-effective mitigation strategies.

Automated summary

Reducing methane emissions is crucial for meeting global climate targets, but our understanding of emissions from the natural gas supply chain is lacking. This study measured and modeled methane and CO2 emissions from an LNG carrier on a round trip voyage, finding that venting and fugitive emissions were extremely low, while methane slip through engines was higher than previously thought. Further research is needed to better understand fleet emissions and develop cost-effective mitigation strategies.