Methane Reduction Alliance gains new members

Seven new members have joined the Methane Abatement in Maritime Innovation Initiative (MAMII). Announced on the sidelines of a Lloyd’s Register LNG Forum in Doha yesterday, the new signatories take MAMII’s membership to 14 LNG-related heavyweights.

Led by Safetytech Accelerator, a non-profit initiative of Lloyd’s Register and the Lloyd’s Register Foundation, the new members are MAAMI Capital Gas, Celsius Tankers, CoolCo, Global Meridian Holdings, Mitsui OSK Lines, TMS Cardiff Gas and United Overseas Management.

They join existing members Carnival Corporation & Plc, Lloyd’s Register, Knutsen Group, Maran Gas Maritime, Mediterranean Shipping Company, Seaspan Corporation and Shell. The doubling of membership shows the industry’s determination to address the methane emissions challenge.

MAAMI was formed in September 2022 as a cross-sector alliance in support of technologies to measure and manage methane emissions. While many believe that LNG, as a clean hydrocarbon, offers great potential as a transition fuel during shipping’s decarbonization journey, methane slip in engines and methane emissions in cargo management are major concerns.

LNG as a marine fuel significantly reduces emissions of carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxides, sulfur dioxide and particulate matter, but these benefits are partially offset by unburned methane emissions. As a greenhouse gas, methane is many times more dangerous than carbon dioxide.

In its short lifespan to date, MAAMI has already mapped the LNG supply chain from well to ship and identified what measurements are needed. It has also identified possible technologies for monitoring and managing methane on board ships.

Panos Mitrou, Lloyd’s Register Global Gas Segment Director and Chairman of MAAMI, commented: “MAMII’s doubling of membership in the six months since its inception is a sign of the shipping industry’s commitment to addressing methane emissions. It also points to the important role of technology in measuring and managing methane emissions. As Chair of the MAMII initiative, I am delighted that so many eminent shipping leaders have joined the ranks.”

One of the Alliance’s shipowners, Miltos Zisis, Managing Director of Capital Gas Ship Management, said: “We are delighted to be pioneering the MAMII project together with Lloyd’s Register and our colleagues. Our group has invested heavily in reducing the environmental footprint of our fleet, with a particular focus on reducing methane emissions. Our participation in this project underscores our commitment to support important industry initiatives. We firmly believe that LNG will continue to be an important part of the energy mix and reducing the environmental impact of the value chain is one of the key challenges we need to address.”

Source: News Network