LNG CARRIERS The influx of shale gas onto the market in recent years has prompted a boom in LNG carriers. These vessels have complicated operational profiles and stakeholders with a vested interest in operating them in the most commercially viable way. A key difference of LNG carriers from other vessels is their ability to use wastage, or boil-off gas, from their cargo as fuel. This puts the crew at the centre of a delicate balance between the interests of the ship operator and cargo owner when reporting performance and efficiency. Esa Henttinen, vice president of the Finnish maritime software company NAPA, describes a tool developed for LNG carriers to ensure transparent and accurate measurement of boil-off as well as performance and efficiency metrics.