COPENHAGEN, Feb 22 (Reuters) – Qatar and Royal Dutch Shell have agreed to develop liquefied pure fuel (LNG) as a marine gasoline to be used by the world’s largest container transport firm, A.P. Moller-Maersk, Qatargas mentioned in an announcement on Monday.

Qatargas, the world’s largest LNG producer, mentioned the three corporations signed a memorandum of understanding which sees Qatargas 4, a three way partnership between Qatar Petroleum and Shell, producing the gasoline to be used by Maersk Line.

Most transport corporations at present use heavy gasoline oil, or bunker gasoline, to propel their vessels though LNG as marine gasoline has been utilized by some ships previously decade.

DNV GL, a world power and transport certification company, says whereas many of the trade will proceed to make use of heavy gasoline oil for now, LNG is getting used extra, partially as a result of it extra simply meets present and proposed emission guidelines.

In a 2015 report, DNV GL mentioned 63 LNG-fuelled vessels had been already working globally with one other 76 ships being constructed that will use the brand new gasoline. In distinction, Maersk has slightly below 600 ships working, together with a number of the greatest on the planet.

“This cooperation between Qatargas, Maersk Group and Shell represents an important step in developing LNG as a viable fuel for maritime transportation,” Maersk’s chief government, Nils Smedegaard Andersen, mentioned in an announcement issued by Qatargas.

“The possible use of LNG as fuel for ships presents an opportunity to reduce both SOx (sulphur oxides) emissions and in reducing the transport sector’s CO2 (carbon dioxide) footprint.” (Reporting by Sabina Zawadzki; Editing by Greg Mahlich)

(c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2016.