Methanol News

Wärtsilä will supply the methanol-fueled auxiliary engines for five new container vessels for COSCO Shipping Lines and seven new container vessels for Orient Overseas Container Line.Each vessel will operate with three 8-cylinder and two 6-cylinder Wärtsilä 32M engines. This is the Chinese maritime sector’s largest order to date for methanol-fueled newbuild vessels. The order was booked by Wärtsilä in December 2023.To complement the solution, the ships will be equipped with the Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) exhaust cleaning systems and alternators.

Norwegian shipowner MPC Container Ships (MPCC) has signed a $55 million pre and post-delivery ECA covered financing agreement with Deutsche Bank and SINOSURE for its two dual-fuel methanol newbuildings.The vessels are scheduled for delivery towards the end of 2024 and are secured by 15-year time charter agreements with North Sea Container Line (NCL). The loan matures in 2036, according to MPCC.Chinese-based shipyard Taizhou Sanfu Ship Engineering is in charge of the construction…

Classification society ABS has published what it says is the industry's first advisory on methanol bunkering as the cleaner-burning fuel continues to gain interest among shipowners seeking to reduce their environmental footprint.A key component of the methanol value chain and the overall scalability of the fuel will be the ability to bunker methanol, either by truck-to-ship, ship-to-ship or land storage tank/terminal-to-ship, ABS said.The new ABS Methanol Bunkering: Technical…

Hapag-Lloyd and Seaspan Corporation announced plans to retrofit and convert five 10,100 TEU containerships powered by conventional MAN S90 engines to dual-fuel engines capable of operating on methanol. Following the engine retrofit, the vessels will continue to be on long-term charter from Seaspan to Hapag-Lloyd.The vessels scheduled for retrofits are the Seaspan Amazon, Seaspan Ganges, Seaspan Thames, Seaspan Yangtze and Seaspan Zambezi. The retrofit is expected to take approximately 80-90 days per vessel starting in the first quarter of 2026.

Danish shipping giant A.P. Moller - Maersk recently named the world's second large methanol-enabled container vessel, Astrid Mærsk, during a ceremony in Yokohama, Japan.The ship is the second of Maersk’s 18 large methanol-enabled vessels, scheduled for delivery between 2024 and 2025, as the company works toward its net-zero targets and supports customers in achieving their decarbonization goals.Vincent Clerc, CEO of A.P. Moller - Maersk, said, "We are truly excited to welcome Astrid Mærsk to our new fleet capable of sailing on green methanol.

X-Press Feeders has signed of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with six European ports: Port of Antwerp Bruges (Belgium), Port of Tallinn (Estonia), Port of Helsinki (Finland), Port of HaminaKotka (Finland), Freeport of Riga (Latvia) and Klaipeda Port (Lithuania).The agreement signifies a joint commitment to accelerate the establishment of green shipping corridors and the broader decarbonization of the marine sector in Scandinavia and the Baltic Sea.X-Press Feeders and the…

HMM has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Shanghai International Port Group (SIPG) on the supply of methanol and LNG at Shanghai Port.HMM has committed to achieving net-zero emissions target for the entire business by 2050.HMM is also working on eco supply chain networks at Singapore and Busan. HMM also signed new building contracts for nine 9,000TEU vessels powered by methanol, and plans to operate two 7,700TEU LNG-powered vessels by the end of this year.Since 2022, SIPG has provided bonded LNG bunkering services for many shipping companies worldwide.

Norwegian power solutions provider Bergen Engines has secured DNV’s approval of its methanol-ready statement for marine engines.According to Bergen Engines, methanol will be an important fuel option for marine applications and is currently adapting research accordingly, with the maritime industry in focus.Methanol, a versatile and sustainable fuel when produced from renewables, offers numerous advantages for Bergen medium-speed engines, the company said, adding that its efficient…

Italian classification and marine engineering consultancy RINA has issued an approval in principle (AiP) to Kindon New Energy Technology for its green methanol offshore production platform solution.Produced entirely offshore, the methanol is derived from renewable CO2 through DAC (Direct Air Capture) technology and green hydrogen from offshore wind power water electrolysis technology.The platform will produce 0.1 MTPA of green methanol via process that synthesizes methanol from…

MAN Energy Solutions and Svitzer have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) focused on the development of a methanol-fuelled version of the MAN 175D engine. Designated 175DF-M (Dual Fuel-Methanol), the MoU targets the finalisation of a field-test agreement based on which a dual-fuel engine and plant equipment will be installed on board one of Svitzer’s newbuild tugs.Svitzer has a long-standing relationship with MAN Energy Solutions, especially recently with the MAN 175D engine.

Stena RoRo and Caterpillar Motoren have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to promote the use of methanol as fuel on board MaK-powered E-flexer class ferries.The partners will work together to explore alternative fuel solutions to reduce CO2 emissions from ferry operations. This includes the development and feasibility of converting MaK-powered ferries from diesel to methanol. An initial pilot project involves a Stena ferry equipped with VM 43 C MaK engines.Methanol is among a number of fuels being explored as an option to help the maritime industry reduce its environmental footprint.

Fugro Pioneer is ready to be equipped with methanol engines after successfully converting the main components on board, the company reports, a plank in its path to reach Net-Zero operations by 2035.The geophysical vessel was converted in the Netherlands as part of the Fugro-led consortium MENENS (Methanol as Energy Step Towards Emission-free Dutch Shipping) with a grant from the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO).The vessel adjustments to the Fugro Pioneer allow two of its four original engines to be replaced by methanol engines…

A new fire safety study by survival technology solutions provider Survitec finds that existing fire-fighting methods used to extinguish machinery space spray and pool fires on conventionally fueled vessels are inadequate when dealing with methanol-based fires.This follows extensive comparative fire tests on dual-fuel marine engines using diesel oil and methanol.“Our tests confirm that traditional water mist fire suppression mechanisms do not perform as expected on methanol pool fires and methanol spray fires.

Zhoushan Xinya Shipyard held a steel cutting ceremony on March 8, 2024 for the 14,000 TEU Maersk Halifax methanol dual fuel retrofit project, marking what will be the world's first container vessel methanol dual fuel retrofit.Representatives from Maersk project team, ABS, and headquarters leaders and employees of the company attended the ceremony.The vessel is scheduled to arrive in early July this year and will undergo conversion and repair for a period of about three months. To ensure the smooth implementation of the project, the yard has built a 500-ton gantry crane overhead the No.3 dock.

Shipyard order books show that more and more ships are being built that can run on methanol or liquified natural gas (LNG). Major shipping companies are investing in green fuels for their fleets, and researchers around the world are working intensely to find new solutions that can make the shipping industry greener.This is all good news that strengthens the belief that shipping is reducing its emissions of greenhouse gases, among others. While there is reason for some optimism, as shipping is becoming more sustainable, there is no doubt that we are still very far from the goal.

Finnish technology group Wärtsilä has entered into a collaboration agreement with U.S.-based naval architecture and marine engineering firm Elliott Bay Design Group (EBDG) to further develop its Clean Harbor Alternative Mobile Power (CHAMP) Barge design.Featuring Wärtsilä’s methanol engine technology, the collaboration introduces a solution to reduce emissions from large vessels in situations where conventional shore power is limited or not available.The floating mobile power…

Wallenius Wilhelmsen, the world’s largest RoRo vessel operator, has declared options to build four additional next-generation Shaper Class pure car and truck carrier (PCTC) vessels. The 9,300 CEU methanol dual fuel vessels can utilize alternative fuel sources, such as methanol, upon delivery.They will also be ammonia-ready and able to be converted as soon as ammonia becomes available in a safe and secure way.These next generation vessels will play a key role in the introduction…

Unifeeder Group announced it has completed a long-term charter agreement for two additional methanol-capable container feeder vessels. This follows the agreement for two initial vessels announced in October 2023. The latest agreement is in partnership with German-based ship owning group Elbdeich Reederei and Norwegian shipowner MPC Container Ships (MPCC), who are responsible for one vessel each. The 1,250 twenty-foot equivalent unit (TEU) vessels, scheduled for delivery in 2026…

The Korean Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries and Ulsan Port Authority have announced a world first with the completion of a ship-to-ship (STS) bunkering of green methanol to the 16,000 TEU container ship Ane Maersk at Ulsan Port, South Korea.The Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries established the relevant institutional foundation, including the ‘Guidelines for Approval of Self-Safety Management Plan for Methanol Supply’ and accumulated know-how through two methanol supply demonstrations…

Global container shipping line Evergreen Marine Corporation has signed a memorandum of agreement (MOA) with X-Press Feeders, the world’s largest independent common carrier, to place its containers on X-Press Feeders’ new dual fuel green methanol vessels. X-Press Feeders is planning to run these vessels on green methanol and operate them within Europe.The two companies moreover will work together to launch a feeder network, which will be the first in Europe to be powered by green methanol.Initially…

Offshore installation services company Jan De Nul has ordered methanol marine engines from ABC Engines for its new cable-laying vessel Fleeming Jenkin with ‘unrivalled cable-carrying capacity’.The order includes four 7,200 kW engines and one 1,800 kW engine that can run on (bio)diesel, HVO and methanol.Using green methanol, the engines are also climate neutral and due to the unique combination with the ULEv technology they also meet the strict Stage V standard for particulate matter and Euro 6 standard for nitrogen.According to Jan De Nul…

CMA CGM has lined up several of its existing containerships for conversion to dual-fuel methanol propulsion.The French ocean carrier has signed contracts with China State Shipbuilding Corporation’s (CSC) Qingdao Beihai Shipbuilding to carry out the conversions starting from mid-2025. The program will reportedly include one or two 9,300 TEU vessels but could grow to up to 10 ships if successful.CMA CGM joins a growing list of container shipping companies that have moved to convert ships to run on methanol…

Greek shipowner Diana Shipping on Wednesday announced it has placed an order for two new methanol dual-fuel Kamsarmax bulk carriers from China's Tsuneishi Group (Zhoushan) Shipbuilding Inc.The 81,200 dwt newbuilds were ordered at a purchase price of $46 million each, Diana said. The vessels are expected to be delivered by the second half of 2027 and the first half of 2028, respectively.Diana in September 2023 announced it signed a letter of intent (LOI) to order the ships through…