Campaigners against the use of LNG as marine fuel have targeted the maritime press with a spoof advertisement offering LNG consultancy services, which leads to a video aiming to highlight methane emissions.
The single-page ad in Maritime Executive offers the services of GreenCurrent Group to help companies investing in LNG — described as “the most exciting and misunderstood marine fuel”— to navigate the energy transition.
In a two-minute video entitled Greenwash Your Worries Away, a spoof boardroom of cruise ship executives is shown hearing news of LNG’s methane emissions.
They call up their greenwashing saviour “scrubby” on — yes you’ve guessed it — a green phone. They are seen dancing with delight as the sponge gets to work in, let’s say, a variety of corporate and business world shots, including the International Maritime Organization headquarters, and conclude with some plastic boats being washed in soapy water.
The campaign has been put together by the Yes Men, which describe themselves as a “diverse group of co-conspirators” who partner with activists on campaigns.
Yes Men spokeswoman Natalie Whiteman told TradeWinds: “We are targeting methane as a marine fuel.
“From the emissions issues and leakage along the supply chain to groundwater pollution and the health impacts on communities adjacent to fracking sites, LNG has proven to be anything but clean.
“The maritime industry needs to move away from methane and towards zero-emissions alternatives, towards supporting a liveable future.”
Whiteman said the campaigners — which bill themselves as “pranksters, collaborators and activists” — homed in on Royal Caribbean Group for greenwashing LNG as a green fuel as the company continues to launch large ships powered by LNG while leaning into misleading messaging about its impacts.
She said they opted to place the ad in Maritime Executive to call out some trade media for exhibiting an uncritical mouthpiece for pro-LNG propaganda.
This is not the first piece of action by the campaigners, who were also present at the World LNG Summit in Berlin in December and have been touring major cities with “Scrubby”.
“The purpose of all these theatrics is to raise the profile of the LNG issue, which is still not widely publicised enough despite the outsized impact LNG development will have on the pace of climate change,” Whiteman said.
“LNG is a wonky issue that needs imaginative support to hook the public’s attention.”
The last eight months have seen a particularly sharp uptick in companies opting to build vessels with LNG dual-fuelled engines, which are seen as offering up to a 23% reduction in CO2 emissions.
The reduction of methane emissions, which are a much more potent although shorter-lasting greenhouse gas than CO2, has become an increasing focus for shipping and LNG producers.(Copyright)
