A GAS industry group set up to reduce planet-warming methane emissions has asked the EU to step in and regulate.

In an open letter, the Methane Abatement in Maritime Innovation Initiative asked for “clear policies, incentives and penalties to cut emissions” in the EU’s upcoming Clean Industrial Deal.

It said the rules should spur the shipping industry to invest in modern, near-zero methane emission engines and methane mitigation technologies. They should reward gas suppliers that reduce, measure and report emissions.

Methane is a greenhouse gas far stronger than CO2. Its emissions — most of which happen from leaks in drilling, processing and transporting natural gas upstream — undermine the environmental benefits of ships running on LNG instead of diesel.

MAMII’s open letter pitched new regulations to reduce methane emissions as a way to help a European clean tech industry.

“The EU has a real chance to shape the future of clean shipping,” MAMII chair Panos Mitrou said.

“With the right policies and investment, Europe can cut methane emissions, develop new fuel markets and create jobs in a growing industry.

“But if we delay, we risk falling behind as others set the standards and reap the benefits.”

MAMII was set up in 2022 by Lloyd’s Register. Its 20 shipping and energy company members include Shell, Chevron, MOL, Mediterranean Shipping Co and Carnival.

The group’s call for regulation suggests limits to what voluntary efforts can achieve.

A 2023 study found that only about 13% of global methane emissions were covered by mitigation policies. How well these policies worked was unclear because emissions were mostly calculated by estimates instead of direct measurements.

The study found obtaining significant methane reductions would require a consistent approach to finding, tallying and verifying emissions, plus policies with measurable objectives and enforcement.