At the end of June, Gasum had the privilege of bunkering Royal Caribbean’s newest cruise ship, Utopia of the Seas, with liquefied biogas (bio-LNG). As the latest addition to Royal Caribbean’s fleet, Utopia of the Seas is an Oasis-class cruise ship, notable for being the first in its class to be powered by LNG. This LNG-powered ship is capable of running on bio-LNG or a mixture of both fuels, enhancing its environmental sustainability.
Utopia of the Seas was constructed by Chantiers de l’Atlantique in Saint-Nazaire, France. After receiving its bio-LNG bunkering, the vessel set sail towards its home base at Port Canaveral in Florida. Bio-LNG represents a crucial step toward reducing CO2 emissions in maritime transport, with its life cycle emissions potentially being negative depending on the feedstock used.
“At Gasum, we take pride in our role as a leading producer of biomethane through our 17 biogas plants. We supply bio-LNG to our maritime clients on a mass balance basis, and we plan to introduce synthetic e-methane into our offerings around 2026. Our sincere thanks go out to everyone involved in this successful bunkering operation.”
LNG and Bio-LNG: Competitive Marine Fuel Alternatives
The maritime industry is under increasing pressure to adopt alternative fuels that mitigate environmental impacts. Maritime shipping accounts for up to 3% of global CO2 emissions and contributes significantly to global sulfur oxides (SOx) and nitrogen oxides (NOx) emissions, despite transporting 90% of global cargo.
In response to stricter emission regulations and customer demand for sustainable transportation, the industry is investing in vessels designed to operate on alternative fuels. LNG and bio-LNG are currently among the most effective solutions for reducing maritime emissions. LNG has been utilized as a maritime fuel for decades, and many new LNG-powered vessels are dual fuel, capable of using both LNG and conventional fuels or electricity.
These LNG-powered ships can easily transition to using renewable bio-LNG or synthetic e-LNG without additional modifications, further enhancing their emissions reductions.
“Gasum is a trusted and experienced provider of LNG and bio-LNG for maritime applications, with over 1000 successful and safe bunkering operations in the Nordics and ARA region. Our strong presence in the Baltic Sea and ARA region is supported by flexible delivery solutions, including, Bunkering and feedering vessels for ship-to-ship bunkering and Trailers for truck-to-ship bunkering, we are committed to future-proofing our services with LNG and renewable methane (bio-LNG and e-LNG) as marine fuels.”
Benefits of LNG and Bio-LNG as Marine Fuels
LNG enables shipping companies to operate within sulfur emission control areas (SECA’s) and eliminates sulfur oxides (SOx) and particulate matter. It also reduces nitrogen oxides (NOx) emissions by up to 85% and CO2 emissions by at least 20%. By adopting LNG, the maritime industry can make immediate progress in reducing emissions.
Bio-LNG, a renewable form of LNG, produces up to 90% less carbon dioxide emissions than conventional fuels. In the future, renewable synthetic LNG (e-LNG), which is chemically identical to LNG and bio-LNG, will also be available. The potential for bio-LNG and e-LNG is substantial; the Nordic countries alone could produce over 400 TWh of these renewable fuels, nearly matching the total energy used for ship refueling across the EU.
With an excellent availability of liquefied gas and a well-developed infrastructure for its distribution, LNG and bio-LNG provide flexibility for fuel switching and blending. This makes them a future-proof choice for the maritime industry, ensuring both environmental and operational benefits.
About Gasum
Gasum is a Nordic gas sector and energy market expert, offering cleaner energy and energy market expert services for industry and combined heat and power production, as well as cleaner fuel solutions for road and maritime transport. The company is dedicated to helping its customers reduce their carbon footprint, as well as that of their own customers. Working in partnership with other industry leaders, Gasum is driving the development of a carbon-neutral future on both land and sea.
With approximately 340 employees across Finland, Norway, Sweden, and Germany, Gasum is a significant player in the Nordic energy market. In 2023, the company reported revenue of €1,457 million. Gasum is wholly owned by the State of Finland, underscoring its strategic importance in the region’s energy landscape.
Source Gasum Ltd.