Three technology solutions have shown potential to cut methane emissions in shipping from feasibility studies undertaken by members of the Methane Abatement in Maritime Innovation Initiative (MAMII).
The group, which is run by Lloyd’s Register’s Safetytech Accelerator, said today that its members Chevron, Carnival Corp, Shell and Seapeak have completed three technology feasibility studies.
Three technology providers — Xplorobot, Sorama and Framergy — were selected by MAMII for trials to help address the need to detect, measure and capture fugitive methane emissions from LNG-fuelled ships.
Xplorobot offers a hand-held device and AI-powered platform to detect and measure fugitive methane on ships using computer vision to pinpoint leak locations and overlay real-time emission rate data.
The aim here is to enable quick resolutions without requiring specialised training.
MAMII said Xplorobot’s solution promises to reduce inspection time dramatically, with the ability to inspect 50 to 100 components in less than an hour — sometimes as quickly as 10 minutes. Combined with automated digital emission tracking and compliance reporting, this makes the solution cost-effective.
Xplorobot chief executive Oleg Mikhailov said: “Xplorobot’s goal is to empower shipping operators with actionable insights to reduce emissions, enhance safety and operational efficiency, and achieve their sustainability goals.”
Sorama develops acoustic cameras that detect fugitive gas by visualising sound and vibration fields in 3D. Again, AI is used in combination with onboard software to identify anomalies and classify sounds, enabling direct leak detection without complex analysis.
Sorama’s study showed how the strategic use of fixed and hand-held devices can help precisely locate and quantify methane slips, it said.
Bart Vaes, vice president for business development at Sorama, said: “We are excited about the potential of this technology to transform emission standards in the maritime sector and look forward to the next phase of on-ship trials.”
Framergy specialises in adsorbents and catalysts for methane emission management. Its product captures and stores fugitive methane by selectively filtering it from the air, leveraging its ultra-high surface area and coordination chemistry.
The material Framergy uses can store and purify methane at much lower pressures than conventional methods and could significantly reduce emissions during planned and unplanned venting events, so offering big operational cost savings and potential revenue from the reuse or sale of captured methane.
Framergy chief executive Jeff St Amant said his company’s partnership with Chevron enabled it to adapt its methane mitigation technology for LNG carriers. “Without this feasibility study, the target area could still lack a potential solution for these types of emissions,” he said.
Safetytech Accelerator said: “MAMII is exploring options to advance these research projects to on-ship trials as soon as possible.”
- Methane accounts for just over 17% of greenhouse gases.
- It is a short-lived greenhouse gas, with an average lifetime in the atmosphere of about 12 years, but it is more potent than CO2, albeit over that shorter time frame. One tonne of methane generates about 28 times the amount of warming as the equivalent amount of CO2.
- So tackling methane emissions can present a quick-fire way to tackle greenhouse gas emissions.
