Hapag-Lloyd and Shell Western LNG BV (Shell) have signed a multi-year agreement for the supply of liquefied biomethane, effective immediately.
The agreement builds on a strategic collaboration established in 2023 to accelerate the decarbonisation of alternative marine fuels.
Biomethane, also known as Bio-LNG, plays a significant role in Hapag-Lloyd’s decarbonisation strategy, which aims to achieve net-zero fleet operations by 2045, by enabling emission reductions across its fleet and supporting customers in their efforts to decarbonise their supply chains.
Since 2024, Shell has expanded its offering to include liquefied biomethane, which is now available at 22 strategic locations within its global LNG bunkering network.
“This agreement helps secure the fuel certainty and supply reliability we need to further expand the use of waste-based renewable fuels across our fleet,” said Jan Christensen, senior director global fuel purchasing at Hapag-Lloyd.
“Bio-LNG is no longer a concept – it’s here, and it’s fuelling the next chapter of shipping decarbonisation,” said Dexter Belmar, Shell’s vice president global downstream LNG. “These long-term deals help build the confidence needed to scale renewable fuels.”
The liquefied biomethane supplied to Hapag-Lloyd is ISCC EU certified, which ensures sustainability of the feedstock production, traceability of sustainable products through the supply chain, and credible, verified reductions of life cycle emissions.
Biomethane is a drop-in fuel that enables the carrier’s LNG dual-fuel vessels to transition seamlessly to renewable fuels without any equipment modifications. Derived from the decomposition of organic waste – such as crop residues, livestock manure and food waste – biogas is upgraded to biomethane by removing CO₂ and impurities. The liquefied biomethane is then fed into the local gas grid, liquefied and supplied to ships on a mass-balanced basis.
