By Ejekwu Chidiebere
Shell Western LNG B.V. said it has entered into a multi-year agreement with Hapag-Lloyd for the supply of liquefied biomethane. Shell says the engagement takes off immediately.
A news agency reported that the agreement would build on a strategic collaboration established in 2023 to accelerate the decarbonization of alternative marine fuels.
“Biomethane, also known as Bio-LNG, plays a significant role in Hapag-Lloyd’s decarbonization strategy”, and Hapag-Lloyd which is also aiming to achieve net-zero fleet operations by 2045 through enabling emissions reductions across its fleet while supporting customers in their efforts to decarbonize their supply chains.
Energy Window International (Media) gathered that Shell has been expanding, since 2024, its offering by integrating liquefied biomethane whose availability and accessibility is now across 22 strategic locations within its global LNG bunkering network.
Jan Christensen, Senior Director Global Fuel Purchasing at Hapag-Lloyd AG was quoted to have said: “This agreement helps secure the fuel certainty and supply reliability we need to further expand the use of waste-based renewable fuels across our fleet – cutting emissions without compromising the quality and reliability our customers expect. Collaborations like this demonstrate that true leadership in shipping means acting now – using lower-emission fuels already available today and not waiting for future solutions.”
Dexter Belmar, Shell’s Vice President Global Downstream LNG was also quoted to have added: “Bio-LNG is no longer a concept – it’s here, and it’s fueling the next chapter of shipping decarbonization. These long-term deals help build the confidence needed to scale renewable fuels.”
“The liquefied biomethane supplied to Hapag-Lloyd is ISCC EU certified”, which also means that the assurance is double-sured in terms of “sustainability and traceability of the feedstock through the supply chain, products which also are not expected to lose its and credibility nor any form of “verified” reductions in life cycle emissions.
Energy Window International (Media) has learnt that biomethane is just a drop-in fuel that enables Hapag-Lloyd’s LNG dual-fuel vessels to transition seamlessly to renewable fuels without any equipment modifications. It is worth recalling that biomethane is derived from the decomposition of organic waste – such as crop residues, livestock manure and food waste, while biogas is upgraded to biomethane by removing CO₂ and impurities. The process continues with feeding it into the local gas grid – liquefied and then supplied to ships on a mass-balanced basis.