United European Car Carriers (UECC) and Titan Clean Fuels are collaborating on a series of major liquefied biomethane (LBM) bunkering operations in the Port of Zeebrugge. Titan will bunker ISCC-EU certified mass-balanced LBM, also known as bio-LNG, to all of UECC’s LNG dual-fuel car carriers this month.
These pure car and truck carriers (PCTCs) will use 100% LBM as part of UECC’s ‘Green Gas Month,’ an initiative that supports its wider ‘Sail for Change’ sustainability program. Three of the ships also feature battery hybrid technology, further enhancing their environmental performance.
Due to the biomethane waste feedstock, the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction potential from this clean fuel use is significant. In ‘Green Gas Month’ alone, UECC calculates the Well-to-Wake emissions reductions will exceed 8,000 metric tonnes of CO2e.
The GHG emissions reductions generated from these major LBM bunkering operations will be available to UECC customers through a CO2 registry that it opened in January 2024. This registry allows UECC to transfer the environmental benefits of clean fuel use to charterers in a transparent, traceable, and independently verified manner across its entire supply chain.
Daniel Gent, Energy & Sustainability Manager at UECC, commented “Through the use of biomethane, ‘Green Gas Month,’ and ‘Sail for Change’ more broadly, we are providing our customers with a great springboard to further their own decarbonization strategies. With progressive automakers focusing on cleaner cars, we expect them to want to reduce their scope three emissions and ship those cars sustainably – which is what we can deliver in collaboration with Titan right now.
“Tightening environmental regulations and emissions levies like the EU Emissions Trading System are also increasingly boosting the commercial rationale for using clean shipping services. The use of LBM as a marine fuel reduces UECC’s, and our customers’ exposure to the costs of emitting within the EU ETS, which will continue to ramp up quickly over the coming years,” continued Gent.
Flip Dankelman, Trader at Titan, added “We are pleased to be working with UECC on these major LBM bunkering and hope these are the first of many more clean fuel operations with them. The mass-balanced LBM via Fluxys’ LNG Terminal in Zeebrugge is a practical, realistic, and cost-competitive way to use clean marine fuels today. And the UECC team has valued the flexibility that our fleet of strategically located LNG bunker vessels can offer.”
Another large and successful LBM transaction demonstrates that the LNG pathway to net-zero GHG emissions in shipping is unfolding as investors and supporters expected. With LNG, this pathway has a safe and cleaner starting point with mature infrastructure.
Unlike other fuel pathways, LBM is frequently being introduced at scale. Depending on the feedstock, LBM can be net-zero GHG emissions or even net-negative if the avoided emissions of waste are taken into account. The next phase is the introduction of e-methane produced using renewable electricity and electrolysis. All of these molecules can be blended at any ratio and used in existing LNG infrastructure without adaptation.
This clean fuel supply agreement and milestone on the LNG pathway is timely as activation of the European Union’s FuelEU Maritime regulation is imminent. The regulation, which will especially incentivize the use of renewable fuels of non-biological origin such as e-methane, will come into force on January 1st, 2025. It will be applicable to vessels over 5000 GT, and 100% of emissions will be considered within the EU, and 50% if one port in the voyage is outside the EU.
About Titan Clean Fuels
Titan leads the charge in providing economical and eco-friendly (Bio)LNG to the marine and industrial sectors throughout Europe, with a vision to phase out all marine and industrial oil burning within the next decade.
By making natural gas accessible to marine and industrial users who previously relied on heating oil, diesel, and propane (LPG), Titan LNG eliminates the necessity for a gas pipeline connection. Through innovative logistics, Titan LNG transports gas via road-trailer directly to customers facilities. Upon arrival, the LNG is stored and subsequently vaporized for use as conventional natural gas.
Titan LNG offers comprehensive natural gas solutions, encompassing LNG bunkering, transport, and supply, as well as rental of LNG storage tanks and vaporizers, complete with maintenance and servicing. With a commitment to sustainability and efficiency, Titan LNG plays a pivotal role in facilitating the transition towards cleaner energy alternatives in Europe’s marine and industrial sectors.
About UECC
UECC specializes in short sea transportation, focusing on delivering factory-new cars and light commercial vehicles for major automotive manufacturers. Additionally, we transport various rolling and static cargo types and maintain port-related terminals across Europe. With an extensive network spanning from the Baltic Sea to the Black Sea, we offer connections from major hub ports to meet European production distribution needs and provide feeder services for intercontinental traffic.
Operating a modern fleet of Pure Car and Truck Carriers (PCTCs), we safely transport 1.7 million units annually. Central to our operation are our corporate values: Unity, Energy, Challenging, and Commitment, which drive our performance and customer service. UECC is renowned as Europe’s leading provider of short sea RoRo transportation.
In 2016, we introduced two of the most technologically advanced and ecologically sustainable PCTCs. These vessels, the largest of their kind, boast 1A super Finnish/Swedish ice class classification and can operate on LNG, heavy fuel oil, or marine gas oil. Their LNG propulsion system allows for efficient fourteen-day voyages solely on LNG fuel, reducing fuel consumption and emissions while enhancing service to our customers.
Source United European Car Carriers (UECC)