NYK has conducted its first onboard measurement in a demonstration test of a methane oxidation catalyst system designed to reduce emissions from LNG-fuelled marine engines.
The trial is being carried out in collaboration with Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Marine Machinery & Equipment (MHI-MME), Mitsubishi Shipbuilding (MHIMSB), and DAIHATSU INFINEARTH MFG.
The catalyst system has been installed aboard the LNG bunkering vessel KEYS Azalea, owned by KEYS Bunkering West Japan and managed by Taiheiyo Enkai Kisen, an NYK Group company.
Methane slip, where unburnt methane escapes into the atmosphere during combustion, is a known challenge for LNG-fuelled vessels.
Given that methane carries a significantly higher global warming potential than carbon dioxide, reducing slip is considered a critical technical hurdle for maritime decarbonisation.
The catalyst system addresses this by oxidising methane present in exhaust gas from LNG-fuelled engines.
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Development drew on the complementary expertise of each partner: MHI-MME contributed catalyst system design and manufacturing, MHIMSB provided shipbuilding integration, and IE handled engine optimisation.
Land-based testing previously demonstrated an initial methane oxidation rate of at least 70 per cent. The latest onboard measurement has exceeded that figure, achieving over 90 per cent methane oxidation as a standalone exhaust treatment unit.
A full-scale prototype is now installed aboard KEYS Azalea for a one-year trial period.
Operating primarily across the Kyushu and Seto Inland Sea regions, the vessel is undergoing performance verification under live operating conditions to support eventual practical application.
For more information:
Nippon Yusen Kabushiki Kaisha – https://www.nyk.com/english/
