IGU Urges EU to Protect Bio-LNG Supply Pathway for Maritime Decarbonisation

The International Gas Union (IGU) has called on the European Commission (EC) to preserve liquefaction by equivalence in the forthcoming revision of the EU’s sustainability certification rules, warning that changes to the framework could undermine one of the most scalable pathways for supplying renewable fuels to the maritime sector.

The industry body said maintaining the production pathway is essential to support the continued growth of bio-LNG and e-LNG as shipping companies seek to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and comply with European decarbonisation regulations.

IGU Backs Liquefaction by Equivalence

As a co-signatory of the joint industry position paper, Scaling BioLNG and eLNG for Maritime Sector Decarbonisation, the IGU is urging the European Commission to ensure that the revision of Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2022/996 fully recognises liquefaction by equivalence.

According to the organisation, the approach is one of the most effective methods for connecting geographically dispersed biomethane production with growing maritime demand by enabling renewable gas to be liquefied through existing LNG infrastructure.

The IGU warned that regulatory changes which fail to recognise this pathway could reduce renewable fuel availability, weaken investment in biomethane production and increase compliance costs for the shipping industry.

Bio-LNG Demand Continues to Grow

The organisation noted that bio-LNG gained significant momentum during 2025 as shipowners increasingly adopted the fuel to reduce emissions while utilising existing LNG-fuelled vessels and bunkering infrastructure.

According to the 2026 World LNG Report, several key developments highlighted this growth:

• Bio-LNG bunkering volumes at the Port of Rotterdam increased more than sixfold, rising from 2,775 cubic metres in 2024 to 17,644 cubic metres in 2025, with additional growth recorded during the first quarter of 2026.
• France and Spain expanded bio-LNG availability to seven of their 11 LNG bunkering ports.
• Seaspan Energy and Anew Climate completed the first ship-to-ship bio-LNG bunkering operation in Long Beach, California.
• China carried out its first bio-LNG bunkering operation at Changxing Island, Dalian.

Call for Stable Regulatory Framework

The IGU said bio-LNG’s continued growth depends on regulations that facilitate connections between biomethane producers and the maritime fuel supply chain rather than creating additional barriers.

Mark McCrory, Director for Policy & Analysis at the International Gas Union, said:

“Bio-LNG enjoyed a breakthrough year in 2025. In order to sustain this momentum, policymakers must create the regulatory framework that connects a fragmented base of biomethane producers with the global shipping industry’s fuel supply chains. Liquefaction by equivalence offers a practical pathway to aggregate distributed production at scale, unlocking the full emissions-reduction potential of this fuel.”