Maran Gas, Daphne Technology conclude methane abatement pilot on LNG carrier

Swiss-based climate tech company Daphne Technology and Greek shipping player Maran Gas, part of the Angelicoussis Group, have completed their joint methane abatement pilot onboard commercial LNG carrier.

First announced in 2023, the project involved the first deployment of Daphne Technology’s SlipPure plasma-catalytic methane slip aftertreatment system onboard Maran Gas Chios.

The pilot aimed to address methane slip challenge in LNG-fueled vessels. Methane slip refers to the unintentional release of unburned methane, a potent greenhouse gas, into the atmosphere during the combustion process in LNG-fueled engines.

Designed to abate methane directly from exhaust gases, Daphne Technology’s DNV-approved system was retrofitted on the vessel to test the feasibility of this approach under real operating conditions.

As reported, Daphne Technology achieved reductions of up to 4 ± 2 g/kWh methane slip during the trial, demonstrating that plasma-catalytic-based abatement is possible onboard an LNG carrier. These results represent a first step in validating the technology at sea and provide critical insights for the next phase of development.

The initiative also demonstrated the Angelicoussis Group as an early adopter willing to support the testing of first-generation technologies.

Ivan Raleff, Managing Director of Daphne Technology in Switzerland, said: “This was the first time SilpPure Plasma-Catalytic system has been deployed on a ship. It represented a bold step into uncharted territory, and the opportunity to conduct the trial has given us invaluable insights into how methane abatement systems behave in real-life maritime environments. These learnings are fundamental to the next phase of product development, and we are deeply grateful to the Angelicoussis Group for their openness, trust and support in enabling this milestone pilot.”

Andreas Spertos, Technical Director at Maran Gas Maritime, added: “Methane slip reduction is an inherent challenge for engines running on gas. When combined with the adversities of the marine environment, the challenge becomes exponentially more difficult. The successful demonstration onboard Maran Gas Chios is a landmark methane abatement technology trial. Together with Daphne, we successfully performed the test, verified the potentials, and identified improvements that will support the continuous development of this promising technology.”