Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Ltd. (MOL; President & CEO: Takeshi Hashimoto) has announced to join, at 16th March as a main Partner, the Methane Abatement in Maritime Innovation Initiative (MAMII) tasked with reducing methane emissions across the maritime industry in the world (Note 1), which initiative led by Safetytech Accelerator being a non-profit established by Lloyd's Register and the Lloyd's Register Foundation.
MAMII was formed in September 2022 and currently 14 companies have joined. MAMII is to identify, accelerate and advocate technology solutions to measure and manage methane emissions activity in the maritime industry aiming to minimize the environmental impact of methane slip in shipping through collaboration among participating companies, including to survey the institutional and industry regulatory requirements on methane emissions, to explore the current technology and practice landscape for methane monitoring, reporting and verification onboard and for methane abatement onboard and to build on experience and knowledge sharing in the area of the LNG supply chain.
Compared with conventional marine heavy fuel oils, LNG (Liquefied natural gas, mainly methane) fuel is widely understood to generate about 25% less carbon dioxide (CO2). Hence the deployment of LNG fueled vessels is accelerating as an effective way of contributing from right now to the low-carbonization of ship operations. On the other hand, that environmental benefits with CO2 reduction effect of using LNG could is partially negated due to any methane released to the atmosphere (methane slip) in the process of using LNG fuel.
Through this activities in MAMII, MOL aims to minimize the environmental impact of methane slip in shipping whilst aiding to the transition to further low and decarbonization of LNG-fueled vessels.
In addition to participating in MAMII, MOL is working with other partners on a technology development project aimed at significantly reducing methane slip on LNG-fueled vessels by utilizing catalysts and improving engine's combustion process (Note 2) and the world's first methane oxidation catalyst system has received Approval in Principle (Note 3). This factory test will be commenced from the middle of 2023 and onboard trial will be conducted from the second half of 2024 to the end of 2026, verifying this design concept in the actual vessel. MOL is also taking initiatives aimed at early introduction of the use of bio-methane and synthetic-methane for the further low and decarbonization of LNG-fueled vessels (Note 4).
