Trafigura to track real-time LNG carrier emissions

The commodity trading company aims to replace inaccurate reports based on fuel consumption estimates with direct measurements enabling accurate real-time emission reports.

The move marks the first commercial deployment of Daphne Technology’s PureMetrics technology. The system, awarded Approval in Principle by Lloyd’s Register in June 2023, integrates data from a range of sensors and sources.

The Swiss-based company’s setup uses approved methodologies and algorithms to ensure compliance with EU Monitoring, Reporting and Verification regulations as well as the standards required by the IMO’s Data Collection System. The PureMetrics technology incorporates ‘Compare’ and ‘Optimise’ functions allowing users to optimise operational efficiency, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and cut carbon-related costs.

Daphne Technology’s CEO and Founder, Dr Mario Michan, said that the first commercial contract with Trafigura marked a significant milestone for the young company.

“While Trafigura is one of our strategic investors, this contract stands on its own merits as a testament to the effectiveness of our PureMetrics solution. It is a clear indication of our commitment to delivering value to our partners and clients, and we are proud to collaborate with Trafigura and Latsco on this important initiative,” he said.

Head of Trafigura’s Energy Transition Group and Venture Capital Investments, Margaux Moore, commented: “The deployment of PureMetrics on our first vessel is a crucial step towards establishing a baseline measurement for GHG emissions in our maritime operations. This baseline will provide a foundational understanding or actual emissions levels, enabling effective monitoring and targeted reduction efforts.”

The world’s fleet of around 700 mainhaul LNG carriers is particularly vulnerable to emission regulations because methane will be included in IMO emissions performance metrics from January 2026. Many of these ships, together with a growing number of other commercial vessels using LNG as fuel, suffer from methane slip in the combustion process. Various initiatives are under way to tackle the methane slip issue but there is no instant fix.

Meanwhile, about a third of the LNG fleet comprises ships powered by steam turbines. Although they do not emit methane in their combustion cycle, they do not have boil-off management systems and suffer from poor fuel efficiency, trading at a significant charter rate discount in the market.

Experts have warned that many LNG carriers are likely to fall into IMO carbon intensity indicator categories ‘D’ and ‘E’ from the outset, requiring remedial action. As the regulations tighten over the second half of the decade, more vessels are likely to be affected.

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