SGMF Launches 3rd LCA on LNG as a Marine Fuel

Up to 29% Tank-to-Wake GHG Emissions Reduction Evidenced in SGMF’s Third Life Cycle Assessment of LNG as a Marine Fuel

SGMF has published its latest Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) on LNG, further demonstrating significant reductions in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions compared to traditional marine fuels. One of the key findings is evidence of up to 29% tank-to-wake GHG emissions reductions when using LNG compared to MGO 0.1 – an improvement of up to 13% compared to the previous LCA conducted in 2022 – highlighting the effectiveness of measures to reduce methane slip. This progress contributes to overall well-to-wake GHG emissions reductions of up to 25%, supported in part by well-to-tank emissions reductions of up to 9% compared to the first LNG LCA study published in 2019.

Following its pioneering full LCA of LNG as marine fuel in 2019, SGMF reinforces its leading position as an independent LCA provider with this latest publication. SGMF’s studies are critically peer reviewed by industry experts and leading academics and cover multiple pathways, reflecting the distinct carbon intensities of each one. The emissions calculations are based on the performance of a wide range of engine types, including medium-speed 4-stroke and low-speed 2-stroke engines, with the findings reflecting industry progress on emissions reduction with LNG, both upstream and downstream.

LCAs provide a snapshot of the state of the industry at a given point in time. Given the fast pace of development in the alternative marine fuels space, regular updates of these studies are essential to ensure the latest technological advances, and most relevant GHG intensity values are reflected across all fuels. The data that underpins these studies from SGMF is provided by a wide range of stakeholders, from inside and outside its membership.

“Shipowners making decisions on future fuel pathways must rely on independent, fact based full Well-to-Wake data of all the fuels, ensuring decision making that contributes to reducing the overall emission levels in the maritime industry,” said Mark Bell, Managing Director of SGMF. “That is why, as an organisation, we place high value on rigorous independent studies to support our members and contribute to the safe and sustainable decarbonisation of the maritime industry.”

Emma Scheiris, Deputy Director-Environment at INTERTANKO said: “Independent and transparent Life Cycle Assessments are essential for tanker owners and operators. INTERTANKO supports this study’s commitment to robust Well-to-Wake principles that can apply consistently across all fuels and reflect actual supply pathways. It offers a structured assessment to evaluate environmental impact and helps our Members assess their decarbonisation strategies.”

In addition to its LNG studies, SGMF expects to publish its first LCA on methanol as a marine fuel in mid-2026, which follows its LCA on ammonia as marine fuel, published in 2024. SGMF plans to publish second editions on ammonia and methanol in the coming years. The eventual full portfolio of LCA’s will help the maritime industry to identify the gaps that need to be addressed to enable more uptake of cleaner fuels.

The full report can be downloaded from the Sphera website. The infographic and Executive Summary are to be found on the SGMF Portal.

To complete the portfolio of LCA’s, the first edition for Methanol is currently under development by Ricardo and we expect this report to be launched before summer.