Swedish shipping company Erik Thun is in talks to buy e-methane from Germany’s Electrochaea to fuel its LNG-powered vessels.
In that regard, the two firms signed a letter of intent to enter into negotiations on the offtake of e-methane to be produced by Electrochaea’s subsidiary BioCAT Roslev Aps in Denmark, according to a statement by Electrochaea.
Erik Thun plans to use e-methane to replace fossil-based LNG fuel, allowing it to operate its existing LNG-powered fleet without replacing its propulsion systems to accommodate other renewable fuels, the statement said.
Electrochaea is presently working to establish a power-to-gas production in the municipality of Skive, Denmark.
The firm said that it will use renewable power from wind to produce green hydrogen that it will mix with the CO2 from biogas production at Rybjerg Biogas in a bioreactor to produce e-methane using Electrochaea’s patented bio-methanation technology.
Moreover, Electrochaea said the resulting e-methane will be fed into the Danish gas grid, benefiting the decarbonization of gas consumers throughout Europe.
The e-methane will fully comply with the EU requirements for RFNBO’s, it said.
As per Eric Thun, the firm owns and operates close to 50 vessels, while seven of these ships run on LNG, according to the statement.
Back in March 2022, the firm ordered another LNG-powered tanker at China Merchants Jinling Shipyard in Yangzhou.
The 17,999-dwt dual-fuel tanker is the tenth in the Vinga series.