In the light of the results of a study commissioned by Energy and Environmental Research Associate, Transport & Environment, the non-governmental organization whose objective is the reduction of emissions from the transport sector, highlighted that it is wrong to consider natural gas liquefied fuel as an alternative fuel for ships compared to fossil fuels and useful for cutting greenhouse gas emissions produced by fleets. This judgment is based on the taking into account consideration of the entire well-to-wake supply chain of the LNG: "if the combustion of liquefied natural gas emits locally less air pollutants and less CO2 than conventional marine fuels - said T&E making The conclusions of the study are known today - the unburned methane that leaks from LNG engines, especially the most pollutants, commonly used by passenger ships and compromises its potential climate benefits."

The study dwells, in particular, not only on the problem of unburned methane, on greenhouse gas emissions in the Well-to-tank upstream of the naval use of natural gas liquefied, emissions that occur during the extraction phases, processing, liquefaction and transport of LNG. It is - he specified T&E - of emissions that vary greatly at depending on the place of LNG production, influencing the impact overall climate of natural gas-powered ships liquified.

Communicating the results of the study, Transport & Environment recalled that the world fleet is currently in operation nearly 1,200 ships that are powered by liquefied natural gas and these will be added almost a thousand whose construction is has now been ordered from shipyards. If this trend will continue - the organization noted - in 2030 beyond 10% of the energy used by the world's fleet of ships could be supplied by fossil gases. In addition, T&E recalled that LNG imports needed to meet the gas demand of the European Union, as a result of changes in the determined by the war in Ukraine, 90% of which come from the USA, Qatar, Russia, Algeria, Nigeria, Norway, Trinidad & Tobago and United Kingdom and that each of these sources represents a different profile of emissions upstream of LNG use. Recital the well-to-tank phase, according to the study the CO2 emissions produced from LNG would be 30% higher than those considered by the European FuelEU Maritime Regulation which will come into force next January 1st ( of 25 July 2023).

The regulation gives the European Commission the power to adopt delegated acts "to include emission factors well-to-wake related to any new energy sources or to adapt existing emission factors to ensure the with future international standards or future acts legal provisions in the field of energy, in accordance with the best scientific and technical knowledge available". At in this regard, Transport & Environment pointed out that, "given the evolution of the geopolitical scenario and the changing perspectives Europe's energy needs, this revision should be priority given that the application of the Regulation will start in 2025 requiring shipowners to start accounting for emissions of the fuels they use". Remembering, moreover, that "in the meantime, the International Maritime Organization must still define its own system for accounting for emissions of fuels and the default emission factors for the different fuels, including LNG', T&E pointed out that, 'for minimising unaccounted emissions, It is essential that the IMO evaluates fuels on the basis of the by combining upstream emissions with those on board ships".