This new green tech is set to make cruise ships cleaner

Cruise line Havila Voyages has joined a new Norwegian project that could help ships run cleaner by capturing carbon emissions onboard as they sail.

The initiative, called LNGameChanger, brings together four companies: ship technology supplier HAV Group, cruise operator Havila Voyages, gas distributor Molgas Norway and research institute SINTEF.

Together, they’re working on a new system that could allow ships powered by liquefied natural gas (LNG) to dramatically cut their emissions – without having to switch to completely new fuels like hydrogen.

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What’s the plan?

At the moment, most ships burn fuels that release carbon dioxide (CO2), which contributes to global warming. LNG is cleaner than traditional fuel oil but still produces CO2.

LNGameChanger aims to:
– Use solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) to power the ship more efficiently using LNG
– Capture the CO2 that’s produced before it escapes into the air
– Store that CO2 onboard in liquid form
– Remove and dispose of it safely once back in port

In simple terms: instead of letting the carbon go into the atmosphere, this system would trap it on the ship for later handling.

According to Gunnar Larsen, CEO of HAV Group: “The LNGameChanger project aims to create the basis of a new product in form of a low-or zero-emission solution for the maritime industry, strongly positioned for a growing LNG market and infrastructure with superior efficiency to alternative solutions. If this objective is achieved, LNG can become not only a transitional fuel, but a permanently viable option in low-emission maritime transport, alongside for example, hydrogen.”

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Why is Havila involved?

Havila Voyages already runs what it calls the most environmentally friendly passenger ships on the Norwegian coast. The line’s four ships use LNG together with large battery packs that allow them to sail for up to four hours with zero emissions. The batteries are charged with clean hydropower when docked.

Now the company is keen to go even further. “We have clear ambitions to move towards carbon neutrality and eventually zero emissions, and that can be done with our current fleet. This project is of great interest for us as our main power source today is LNG. We are eagerly awaiting the results and possibilities that lay ahead,” said Bent Martini, CEO of Havila Voyages.

“To be able to meet future requirements and reach the goals for a greener future, we cannot lock ourselves in one direction. We have to investigate the possibilities available to find the best solution, both for the environment and from a business perspective.”

Why now?

Shipping is responsible for about three percent of global greenhouse gas emissions and carries roughly 80 percent of the world’s traded goods. New rules from the EU mean ships will soon have to pay for their emissions, providing a big incentive to get greener.

Meanwhile, LNG-powered ships are becoming far more common. According to DNV, 641 were in operation at the end of 2024 – more than double the number in 2021 – and that’s expected to double again by 2030.

“This technology could provide a clear pathway for a large-scale, low-emission solution that leverages well-known and robust supply chain of energy to hard-to-abate sectors,” said Anders Torp Rød, managing director at Molgas Norway. “Molgas Energy supports developments that aim to reduce emissions based on available technology and product availability.”

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What’s next?

The project has received NOK 5 million in research funding from the Norwegian Research Council and is now in its early stages. The first step is to run studies and simulations to see if the idea is viable.

If successful, the team hopes to move on to building a working prototype. “We are excited to be a part of this project. SINTEF is involved in a growing portfolio of projects that focus on different solutions for decarbonisation of the maritime industry. A low-to-zero-emission concept that combines an established maritime fuel with innovative CO2 capture technology is a promising solution that can be applied to many different vessel types,” said David Berstad, researcher at SINTEF.

If it works, the LNGameChanger could offer a practical way to clean up existing ships using a fuel that’s already in wide use – instead of waiting years for new fuels and new infrastructure to catch up.

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