United European Car Carriers, Titan agree to landmark biomethane deal
United European Car Carriers announced Dec. 2 that it has signed a new agreement with Titan Clean Fuels for the vast majority of liquefied gas supplied by Titan to UECC’s multifuel ships to be biomethane (LBM/bio-LNG) for the remainder of this year and most of next. This deal expands upon UECC and Titan’s established commitment to using LBM.
Since July 1, over 95 percent of the fuel delivered to UECC’s pure car and truck carriers (PCTCs) by Titan has been LBM, resulting in avoiding more than 30,000 metric tons of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.
According to Titan’s analysis, the quantity of LBM in 2025, which Titan and UECC are realistically targeting, will avoid more than 75,000 tons of GHG emissions.
That reduction is equivalent to the annual emissions of around 10,000 EU citizens or 540 million kilometers driven in an average car.
UECC added that “using LBM over oil-based fuels also virtually eliminates harmful local emissions of black soot and other particulate matter (PM), nitrogen oxides (NOx) and sulfur oxides (SOx).
The transition to biomethane amplifies the success of UECC’s “Sail for Change” sustainability strategy, the company noted, as it will exceed its carbon-intensity targets, which use the same metric as the industry’s forthcoming FuelEU maritime regulation.
In fact, UECC said the use of LBM will offer the company overcompliance with FuelEU maritime across its overall fleet, and so it is actively exploring pooling and banking options.
“Through our CO2 registry, this agreement offers our customers the opportunity to significantly reduce their scope 3 emissions, and we appreciate those that have already jumped at the offer,” said Daniel Gent, UECC’s energy and sustainability manager. “Toyota Motor Europe, Ford of Europe and another major European vehicle manufacturer quickly signed up to Green Gas Month in July, and following its success every month will now essentially be Green Gas Month. The engagement in Sail for Change from our customers, alongside Titan’s in-depth expertise in clean-fuel supply and bunkering, have allowed us to almost entirely transition from LNG to LBM, and to swiftly scale up our use of biomethane. With this expansion, we look forward to hearing from more customers who want to reduce their scope 3 emissions and use sustainable shipping services today.”
Caspar Gooren, the commercial director of renewable fuels at Titan, said, “As frontrunners with a strong and clear renewable fuels strategy, UECC has been pivotal in propelling the uptake of LBM, and we are excited to be supporting them as they sail towards a sustainable future. This agreement highlights that, just like LNG before it, LBM is quickly becoming a standardized product and gaining popularity as it is recognized as future fuel. The LBM delivery scale and consistency we’re able to achieve is, in part, thanks to robust mass-balancing processes and related liquefaction LNG-terminal infrastructure in the region. It’s now time for the whole of Europe and the world to follow suit. Looking ahead, both Titan and UECC are aligned on the need to geographically expand biomethane supply and diversify waste feedstocks to ensure certified LBM is accessible to those in shipping that want and need it.”
This announcement follows news that UECC has invested in two new multifuel car carriers to be delivered in 2028, with the option to add two more.
This move, combined with the latest biomethane agreement with Titan, has built a strong foundation for UECC’s long-term commitment to the LNG pathway and transition to biomethane.
