Spoof Ad Highlights Problems with ‘Green’ LNG as Maritime Fuel

The latest issue of Maritime Executive includes an unusual advertisement promoting a non-existent communications and marketing agency, GreenCurrent Group. The Guardian reports that, although the full-page ad copy purports to promote liquefied natural gas (LNG) as “the most exciting and misunderstood marine fuel,” in reality it provides a link to a humorous video featuring a costumed character named Scrubby Greenwash, in an attempt to raise awareness of the fuel’s troubling environmental track record. The spoof ad was placed by the Yes Men, an American-based collective of activist pranksters.

A QR code on the page links to a video that depicts executives from the LNG-powered cruise line Royal Caribbean —  which has promoted LNG as the “cleanest burning fossil fuel” —  working to protect their reputation and profits amid increasing awareness of the climate crisis. To do so, they do not phase out LNG, which is almost entirely liquefied methane, often obtained by the controversial practice of “fracking.” Instead, they hire a bright green sponge mascot named Scrubby Greenwas…