The International Legal Regime Governing
Shipboard LNG
Jingjing Xu and Proshanto K. Mukherjee
Abstract The Chapter addresses the international legal regime governing shipboard
LNG which could be carried on board as cargo or fuel. The discussion touches upon
both the regulatory law element as well as the private law dimension of the regime.
On the regulatory side of the discussion, the focus is placed on the Sulphur 2020
Initiative of IMO, the IGC Code and the IGF Code; and on the private law side of the
discussion, the HNS Convention is the focal point. A brief discussion is also
provided on the LNG implications of Greenhouse Gas Emissions from ships. In
the Concluding Remarks it is noted somewhat disappointingly that current statistics
and relevant information point to the less than enthusiastic posture of shipowners to
switch to using LNG as fuel in the foreseeable future.
1 Introduction
This chapter is about the role and relevance of liquified natural gas (LNG) in the
maritime domain, in terms of the legal framework necessary to facilitate its effective
and efficient use. It is recognized in this context that the development of the law is
tempered by the level of scientific and technological advancement in the field. LNG
is at once a commodity transported by specially designed ships operating across the
oceans from one end of the world to another, and it is now also being used as bunker
fuel replacing oil as the conventional mode for powering ships’ machinery. It is wellknown that LNG is far more carbon efficient than oil and therefore exceedingly
environment friendly. However, despite some positive signals emanating from
J. Xu (*)
Plymouth Business School, University of Plymouth, Plymouth, UK
e-mail: jingjing.xu@plymouth.ac.uk
P. K. Mukherjee
Faculty of Law, Dalian Maritime University, Dalian, China
© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2020
P. K. Mukherjee et al. (eds.), Maritime Law in Motion, WMU Studies in Maritime
Affairs 8, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-31749-2_33
691
Shipboard LNG
Jingjing Xu and Proshanto K. Mukherjee
Abstract The Chapter addresses the international legal regime governing shipboard
LNG which could be carried on board as cargo or fuel. The discussion touches upon
both the regulatory law element as well as the private law dimension of the regime.
On the regulatory side of the discussion, the focus is placed on the Sulphur 2020
Initiative of IMO, the IGC Code and the IGF Code; and on the private law side of the
discussion, the HNS Convention is the focal point. A brief discussion is also
provided on the LNG implications of Greenhouse Gas Emissions from ships. In
the Concluding Remarks it is noted somewhat disappointingly that current statistics
and relevant information point to the less than enthusiastic posture of shipowners to
switch to using LNG as fuel in the foreseeable future.
1 Introduction
This chapter is about the role and relevance of liquified natural gas (LNG) in the
maritime domain, in terms of the legal framework necessary to facilitate its effective
and efficient use. It is recognized in this context that the development of the law is
tempered by the level of scientific and technological advancement in the field. LNG
is at once a commodity transported by specially designed ships operating across the
oceans from one end of the world to another, and it is now also being used as bunker
fuel replacing oil as the conventional mode for powering ships’ machinery. It is wellknown that LNG is far more carbon efficient than oil and therefore exceedingly
environment friendly. However, despite some positive signals emanating from
J. Xu (*)
Plymouth Business School, University of Plymouth, Plymouth, UK
e-mail: jingjing.xu@plymouth.ac.uk
P. K. Mukherjee
Faculty of Law, Dalian Maritime University, Dalian, China
© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2020
P. K. Mukherjee et al. (eds.), Maritime Law in Motion, WMU Studies in Maritime
Affairs 8, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-31749-2_33
691