The regulatory blind spot is structural, not incidental. LNG carriers account for 175–190 dB of underwater noise, release unburned methane through engine slip, discharge ballast water containing invasive species, and operate at high density through UNESCO-listed marine habitats — yet none of these impacts are currently assessed in project-level environmental reviews.

Stranded asset risk is real and near-term. The LNG carrier orderbook is at a historic high. Under Paris-aligned scenarios, over USD 48 billion in carrier investment faces stranding by 2035. Even under the most conservative policy projections, excess capacity is expected to exceed 40% of the current fleet by 2030.

Communities are already paying the price. From Cameron Parish, Louisiana, to Cabo Delgado, Mozambique, and the Verde Island Passage in the Philippines, coastal communities report declining fish stocks, restricted sea access, and habitat destruction tied directly to LNG vessel traffic — impacts invisible in project EIAs.

The "mobility" argument is both legally weak and practically false. OECD environmental guidelines explicitly apply to "the locations to which capital goods are destined." The ports LNG carriers enter and the protected marine areas they transit are demonstrably within scope.