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Held on May 12, 2026, at the International Maritime Organization Headquarters in London, the Technical Seminar on Methane-Based Fuels brought together leading experts, industry innovators, and research institutions to examine the latest developments in production, safe use, market trends, and system integration. Organized by the IMO Future Fuels and Technology Project Team, the seminar offered a timely and substantive technical exchange ahead of a decisive moment for the Net-Zero Framework.
For the e-NG Coalition, the event also marked an important milestone: an opportunity to position e-NG/e-LNG as a credible, scalable, and increasingly investable pathway for maritime decarbonization, and of the Coalition itself as a trusted voice in the global community shaping this transition.
The seminar brought together experts from the maritime, energy, technology, shipping, fuel production, and research communities to explore the role of methane‑based fuels in shipping decarbonization, looking at fuel production pathways, engine technologies, and methane‑emissions mitigation.
The event opened with Mr. Camille Bourgeon from the International Maritime Organization (IMO), who set the scene by outlining the IMO ruleset and policy frameworks relevant to methane-based fuels.
Representing the e-NG Coalition, Mr. Rafik Ammar, Policy Director, and Ms. Mariana Tostes, Communications Officer, presented “Scaling e-NG/e-LNG: Global production trends, challenges and integration into maritime fuel pathways.”
A strong focus throughout the seminar was methane emissions management and lifecycle emissions accounting. Ms. Justine Roure from the Oil and Gas Climate Initiative (OGCI) presented lessons learned from the oil and gas sector on reducing methane emissions across the LNG value chain, while Prof. Paul Balcombe of Queen Mary University of London, affiliated with the ICCT, delivered a technical presentation on methane emissions from LNG-fueled ships, covering engine emissions, fugitives, and venting.
Several speakers explored the growing role of biomethane and bio-LNG as immediately deployable maritime fuels. Ms. Giulia Ceccarelli from the World Biogas Association discussed scaling bio-LNG “from waste to wake” for a net-zero maritime sector, while Mr. Alessandro Gardemann from the Brazil Biogas Association emphasized biomethane’s potential as a scalable, market-ready drop-in solution for maritime defossilization. Mr. Ryan Harb from the American Biogas Council focused on technological developments and future scalability of biomethane and bio-LNG in the United States.
Operational and technological aspects of methane-fueled shipping also featured prominently. Dr. Alexandra Ebbinghaus from Shell and Mr. Ian Aitchison from SEA-LNG shared practical experience and future outlooks for LNG and methane bunkering infrastructure. Dr. Dirk Kadau from WinGD presented developments in low-pressure dual-fuel propulsion systems designed to minimize methane emissions and reduce environmental impact.
The seminar concluded with a presentation from Mr. Panos Mitrou of Lloyd's Register, presenting on behalf of the Methane Abatement in Maritime Innovation Initiative (MAMII), highlighting practical learnings, collaborative industry efforts, and emerging technologies aimed at reducing methane emissions in maritime operations.
The diversity of speakers and topics reflected the increasing maturity of methane-based fuel discussions within the maritime sector and the growing recognition that reducing emissions across the full fuel lifecycle will be central to achieving decarbonization objectives.
The technical seminar followed several critical weeks of negotiations at ISWG‑GHG 21 and MEPC 84 on the IMO Net‑Zero Framework, the policy architecture that will shape the sector’s decarbonization trajectory for decades and whose negotiations will be taken up again in December 2026. Although the presentations focused on technical developments, speakers still underscored that:
While not explicitly addressed in the presentations, this alignment between technical readiness and the need for regulatory momentum emerged consistently in conversations on the sidelines and it became clear that methane‑based fuels can play a significant role in decarbonization. The real question that remains is how quickly they can scale once a credible and stable IMO framework is in place.
The presence of the e-NG Coalition at the seminar was widely noted by participants and organizers. As a global organization representing the full e-methane value chain, the Coalition brought a system-level perspective that resonated strongly with the seminar’s objectives.
Our contribution reinforced four key messages:
The e-NG Coalition presented its latest analysis on global e-NG/e-LNG production trends, challenges, and integration into maritime fuel pathways. Here is a summary of what we shared.
Electric Natural Gas (e-NG) is a molecule entirely produced from renewable or low-carbon H2 and sustainable CO2. It is chemically identical to methane (natural gas), which means substitution and blending are possible using existing infrastructure, making it a true “drop-in fuel” for hard-to-abate sectors like maritime transport. In Europe, e-NG will be certified as a Renewable Fuel of Non-Biological Origin (RFNBO), complying with the most stringent EU renewable rules for H2 and its derivatives.
Our analysis, produced in partnership with GENA Solutions, tracks more than 150 e-NG projects worldwide. The e-NG project pipeline grows from 0.01 Mt in 2026 to 1.3 Mt by 2031, with growing activity in regions like North America and Northern Europe. The United States alone accounts for 44% of planned capacity by 2031, with Finland following at 22%.
We also presented a realistic picture of where the industry stands today: 93% of that 2031 pipeline remains at the pre-feasibility or feasibility stage. The main bottlenecks are the absence of off-take agreements, limited willingness to pay, and regulatory uncertainty. At the same time, there are positive signals, such as increasing interest through matching platforms and early agreements. On the feedstock side, more than 80% of e-NG projects plan to use renewable H2, and biogenic CO2 represents 68% of CO2 utilization capacity in the 2031 pipeline.
While current e-NG costs are ~120 €/MWh compared to roughly 20 €/MWh for fossil natural gas, these costs are expected to decrease by 2× by 2030. On carbon intensity, when considering avoided emissions, the carbon intensity of e-NG is ~73 to 85% lower than conventional LNG, which is the kind of reduction that makes e-LNG one of the few fuels capable of meeting the IMO’s long-term decarbonization ambitions.
e-LNG is fully compatible with the extensive existing LNG infrastructure and fleet. LNG already has the largest alternative-fueled fleet in shipping, with 871 operational LNG vessels and 702 LNG vessels on the orderbook. Recent orders bring another 1.4 million tons per annum (mtpa) to LNG bunker demand between 2026 and 2029, and more than 160 LNG terminals are already operational worldwide.
This existing infrastructure is one of our greatest assets. Projects are also increasingly focused on exporting to Europe and Japan, with energy, road fuels, and maritime use emerging as the key target sectors.
We outlined three delivery models for getting e-LNG to vessels:
Liquefaction by equivalence is existential for the scaling of e-LNG in the shipping sector in Europe, and we made the case explaining that the renewable attributes of e-NG can also be tracked and credited even when molecules are commingled with fossil gas. The Union Database (UDB) would be a key enabler here, even though the UDB module for RFNBOs/e-NG will only be developed after 2026.
While the e-NG ecosystem is progressing, scaling will depend on regulatory clarity and recognition mechanisms. At the IMO and international level, the priority items include the Sustainable Fuel Standard (SFCS), lifecycle assessment (LCA) methodologies and default values, the Global Fuel Standard negotiation, voluntary market frameworks under the GHG Protocol, and the implementation of the Sustainable Fuel Pledge from COP31. Three things must be addressed to unlock investment at scale: recognition in reporting frameworks, regulatory clarity, and harmonization of rules.
The seminar confirmed what the e-NG Coalition has long advocated: methane-based fuels, and particularly e-methane, are central to a credible maritime decarbonization pathway. As the IMO prepares to finalize the Net-Zero Framework, the Coalition will continue to bring evidence, expertise, and global coordination to the table: ensuring that the voice of the e-methane community is heard clearly and constructively.
You can find our full presentation and recordings here: Technical Seminar on Methane-Based Fuels
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Contact: Mariana Tostes, Communications Officer — Mariana.tostes@eng-coalition.org
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