Doha – Mubasher: Qatar Petroleum (QP) on Wednesday signed an agreement with Shell Gas & Power Developments B.V. (Shell) to develop infrastructure in various strategic locations around the world and to use liquefied natural gas (LNG) as marine fueling venture.
“LNG bunkering provides the shipping industry with a new fuel that helps meet the industry’s environmental and economic objectives,” QP said in a statement.
The demand for natural gas is expected to increase to 50 million tonnes annually by 2030, QP managing director and CEO Saad Sherida Al-Kaabi said.
The number of ship owners and operators who prefer to use LNG has increased, compared to those who prefer “traditional” marine fuels, as the former reduces sulfur and nitrogen oxide emissions, the statement added.
In October 2016, the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) specified a maximum sulfur emission limit of 0.5% of total fuel content starting from 2020.
The international demand of the gas reached 265 million tonnes in 2016, according to a previous study by Royal Dutch Shell.
Qatar currently produces 77 million tonnes of gas annually, making it the largest producer in the world with around 30% market share.
