Four firms have joined forces to study the feasibility of creating France’s first bio-LNG production unit in order to supply the fuel mainly to CMA CGM’s LNG-powered container vessels.
Besides CMA CGM, the project partners include energy giant TotalEnergies, LNG terminal operator Elengy, a unit of Engie, and EveRe, operator of the multi-process household waste treatment plant commissioned by Metropole Aix-Marseille-Provence.
Produced by converting the biodegradable part of household waste from the Marseille Provence region, bio-LNG would allow for the decarbonization of shipping services departing from the Grand Port Maritime in Marseille, a joint statement said on Monday.
CMA CGM would use the fuel to power its huge fleet of LNG-powered vessels.
The shipping line is heavily investing in LNG as fuel and expects to have 44 LNG-powered ships in its fleet by 2024.
The use of bio-LNG combined with the dual-fuel gas engine technology developed by CMA CGM can reduce greenhouse gases up to 67% compared to VLSFO in well-to-wake, according to the statement.
The tank-to-wake measures can reduce greenhouse emissions by 88%, the statement said.
The project would benefit from the well-suited and already existing infrastructure at the Grand Port Maritime, including EveRe’s waste methanization unit, and Elengy’s LNG terminals, which will be used for the storage and delivery of the fuel.
Moreover, TotalEnergies already has a contract to supply LNG via its chartered bunkering vessel to CMA CGM’s ships from the port as of January 2022.
