Japanese shipping giant NYK, together with its partners, has launched sea trials of a new catalyst system designed to reduce methane slip from liquefied natural gas (LNG)-powered marine engines.
During the first trials conducted onboard the bunker vessel “KEYS Azalea,” the system succeeded in neutralizing more than 90% of methane emissions released into the atmosphere.
Methane is considered one of the main environmental challenges associated with LNG engines because it has a significantly higher warming effect than carbon dioxide. The technology, jointly developed by NYK, Mitsubishi, and Daihatsu, works by oxidizing unburned methane before it is emitted into the atmosphere.
As part of a one-year testing program, the long-term effectiveness of the system under real operating conditions will be evaluated. Previous land-based tests achieved around 70% efficiency, while exceeding 90% during sea trials is being regarded as a major breakthrough in reducing the environmental impact of LNG-powered vessels.
