First Shipboard Trial of SlipPure Plasma‑Catalytic System Cuts Methane Slip by up to 4 ± 2 g/kWh on LNG Carrier

Daphne and Maran Gas complete first shipboard SlipPure trial on Maran Gas Chios

Daphne Technology and Maran Gas, a business unit of the Angelicoussis Group, have completed a pioneering pilot programme deploying the SlipPure Plasma‑Catalytic Methane Slip Aftertreatment system aboard the liquefied natural gas (LNG) carrier Maran Gas Chios. According to Daphne, this is the first time the SlipPure system has been trialled in commercial maritime operations.

The trial targeted methane slip — unburned methane emitted from dual‑fuel marine engines — which can erode the climate benefits of LNG propulsion. For the pilot, Daphne retrofitted a SlipPure unit to the vessel’s exhaust to evaluate performance under real operating conditions while the ship remained in service.

During the sea trials, Daphne recorded methane slip reductions of up to 4 ± 2 g/kWh. The company described these measurements as an initial validation of the technology at sea and said the results will inform the next stage of product development.

Ivan Raleff, Managing Director of Daphne Switzerland, said: “This was the SlipPure system’s first deployment on a ship. It was a bold step into uncharted territory and provided invaluable insights into how methane‑abatement systems behave in demanding maritime environments.”

Maran Gas coordinated the on‑board installation and operation while the vessel continued normal service, demonstrating willingness to support early‑stage maritime decarbonisation solutions. The partnership emphasised that the pilot’s dataset will guide technological refinements and support broader industry efforts to reduce methane emissions.

Andreas Spertos, Technical Director at Maran Gas Maritime, commented: “Methane slip reduction is an inherent challenge for engines running on gas. Combined with the adversities of the marine environment, the challenge becomes significantly more difficult. This successful demonstration on Maran Gas Chios is a landmark trial for methane‑abatement technology.”

Daphne said it will continue to advance its methane‑abatement platform alongside its PureMetrics emissions‑monitoring system, with plans to adapt both for broader maritime and onshore applications. Separately, in 2022 Maran Gas placed an order with South Korea’s Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering (DSME) for two additional LNG carriers.

Context and next steps: The trial provides practical, at‑sea data on plasma‑catalytic aftertreatment for methane slip. While the recorded reductions are a promising first result, Daphne and Maran Gas note further testing, optimisation, and longer‑term monitoring will be needed to fully quantify performance across different engines and operating profiles.