Wärtsilä and Chevron Shipping partnership aims to reduce methane emissions on LNG carriers

After two years of collaboration, technology group Wärtsilä announced it was partnering with Chevron Shipping Company LLC to convert one engine on six of Chevron Transport Corporation Ltd.’s liquified natural gas (LNG) carriers from dual-fuel to spark-ignited gas operation. The conversions are intended to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by reducing methane slip, Wärtsilä said, and the effort supports Chevron Shipping’s drive to reduce the carbon intensity of its operations. Wärtsilä booked the order for the first two vessels in Q3 2024.

When burned as a fuel, LNG results in small amounts of methane, which is a GHG, that may not fully combust, Wärtsilä said. This leads to methane escaping into the atmosphere — referred to as methane slip.

“Chevron Shipping aims to reduce methane emissions intensity of our LNG fleet in support of a lower carbon future,” said Barbara Pickering, president of Chevron Shipping.

While methane exists in the atmosphere for a shorter time than carbon dioxide (CO2), it traps approximately 25 to 30 times more heat over a 100-year period, according to a 2022 methane report by Chevron. As such, addressing methane emissions is key to reducing carbon intensity, Wärtsilä said.

The conversion project is designed to modify the engines in service to use spark ignition instead diesel pilot fuel to initiate combustion. This results in a more optimized combustion process, Wärtsilä said, which reduces methane slip and improves efficiency.

“This innovative project represents a notable step forward on the road to advancing lower carbon fleets,” said Roger Holm, president of Wärtsilä Marine and executive vice president at Wärtsilä Corporation. “Wärtsilä has an extensive track-record in reducing methane slip from LNG-fueled engines, not only as newbuild solutions, but also through retrofitting existing installations.”

Wärtsilä said the new technology complements its portfolio of solutions aimed at reducing methane emissions from vessels. The company cited its nearly three decades of experience in LNG technology.

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