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Greece: Methanol Institute hosts methanol as marine fuel seminar

More than 70 delegates heard from stakeholders on the benefits of methanol as a marine fuel at Athens.
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Leading figures from the Greek shipping market gathered in Athens, Greece for the third in a series of global seminars designed to educate the industry on the potential of methanol as a marine fuel, says the Methanol Institute.

The seminar held in late May, organised by consultancy Sea Commerce and supported by the Methanol Institute, Methanex and FEDCOM, brought together more than 70 delegates to hear from stakeholders leading in the use of Methanol as a marine fuel, including Waterfront Shipping Company, Marinvest Shipping, The Methanol Institute and MAN Energy Solutions.

The speakers discussed the use of Methanol as fuel from the point of view of ship design and construction, management and operations, propulsion and regulatory issues, drawing on direct experience and expert insight.

Seminar series organiser Capt Saleem Alavi, President of Sea Commerce, reinforced the advantages compared to LNG, which is being heavily marketed as a long term solution.

“Methanol is similar to existing liquid marine fuels and is much easier to handle than LNG, as existing fuel tanks can be used, while the cost of conversion to Methanol is 25% of an LNG conversion. Beyond cost savings, Methanol is the only 2020-compliant fuel capable of intrinsically achieving NOx Tier III compliance by use of water in fuel technology. In the near term, bio-methanol has near zero CO2 footprint, hence it is capable of addressing the forthcoming IMO CO2 reduction regulations.”

Paul Hexter, President of Waterfront Shipping, a wholly owned subsidiary of Methanex, explained that Methanol could be cost-competitive and delivered value beyond a simple bunker cost equivalent.

“On an energy equivalent basis, Methanol is cost competitive over the cycle compared to conventional low sulphur fuels such as MGO. Going forward, we see significant value creation opportunities of a methanol flex fuel engine, with efficiency gains mitigating expected increases in the price of conventional ultra-low sulphur fuels and the potential to eliminate selective catalytic reduction. These benefits make methanol a viable clean fuel option for the marine industry and part of the solution to help meet future emissions regulations.”

Peter Hinchliffe, Consultant to the Methanol Institute provided a perspective on the development of regulations governing the use of Methanol, in the revision of the IGF Code by IMO.

“We are in a confidence-building stage at the moment where we can see a clear trajectory through sulphur regulations to the IMO strategy on GHG reduction and shipowners need to see this as a continuum; a knee jerk reaction to first sulphur and then to CO2 reduction will not be cost-effective. Methanol provides a solution that addresses both regulations and over time should be both a cost-effective and long term solution.”

Fredrik Stubner, Director Ship Management Marinvest Shipping, shared real life operational experience running tankers powered by Methanol on behalf of Waterfront Shipping.

“Our first four ships delivered in 2016, have not experienced any serious issues that have resulted in off-hire or idle time and we now have in excess of 45,000 successful running hours on Methanol. What should be realised is that the EEDI reduction introduced in 2030 will apply for new ships as well as old. We expect that carbon emissions will be measured from well to wake, so Methanol which can be produced from many different sources will have big advantages.”

George Drossos, Head of Marine New Sales, MAN Energy Solutions Hellas stressed the simplicity of adopting Methanol fuelled engines as well as the fuel’s ability to meet NOx emissions regulations.

“Our LGIM Methanol engine not only lowers SOx and CO2 emissions, our latest tests show that mixed with water, Methanol can meet Tier III NOx emissions without any additional SCR equipment. Installation is simple as a Methanol fuel gas supply system operates at low-pressure and fuel is stored without the need for cryogenics. Engines can be retrofitted easily with very few components, thereby increasing the value of the vessel.”

The seminar was live streamed and sponsored by the Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers (SNAME) which will make a recording available via its website.

Feedback from delegates suggested that the industry still requires additional data and practical information on the use of Methanol as marine fuel and on its potential as a sustainable fuel when produced from renewable sources. Basil Galanomatis, Manager, Newbuilding Contracting, George Moundreas & Company SA said:

“Methanol seems to be one of the most attractive solutions for use as marine fuel provided the issues of availability and production cost are resolved. The method of Methanol production by capturing atmospheric CO2 seems to be very promising in respect to a dramatic reduction in GHG emissions.”

The next seminar in the series will be held in Sao Paolo, Brazil in August (date to be finalised).

Photo credit: Methanol Institute
Published: 14 June, 2019
 

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Biofuel

BHP and GCMD trial multi-feedstock B100 bio bunker fuel on bulk carrier

Bio-blend in the BHP and GCMD pilot is being used on a BHP-chartered bulk carrier “Berge Lyngor”, which was bunkered in Singapore in early May.

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June 3, 2026

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BHP and GCMD trial multi-feedstock B100 bio bunker fuel on bulk carrier

BHP and the Global Centre for Maritime Decarbonisation (GCMD) on Wednesday (3 June) said they have blended biofuels from two distinct feedstocks—used cooking oil and waste animal fats —and introduced the lower-emissions marine fuel into a BHP-chartered bulk carrier as part of a pilot project.

The bio-blend in the BHP and GCMD pilot is being used on a BHP-chartered bulk carrier Berge Lyngor, owned and operated by Berge Bulk, transporting BHP iron ore from Western Australia to China. When run on bio-blend, the vessel has the potential to reduce well-to-wake greenhouse gas emissions by approximately 79 per cent per voyage compared to sailing on very low sulphur fuel oil (VLSFO).

The vessel bunkered in Singapore in early May with a B100 bio-blend comprising 50 percent tallow-derived biodiesel, sourced and supplied by HAMR Energy, and 50 per cent used cooking oil (UCOME) supplied by Mitsui & Co Energy Trading Singapore (METS).

Mitsui also blended the fuel and Dan-Bunkering coordinated and executed the bunkering operation, which was performed by Global Energy’s barge MT Maple.

The BHP and GCMD pilot will assess how biofuels from multiple feedstocks can be blended, handled, and introduced under real-world operating conditions using existing used cooking oil bunkering infrastructure.

At the same time, insights from this pilot will help identify solutions to challenges related to fuel quality, handling, traceability, and onboard vessel performance.

Biofuels for global shipping today rely heavily on used cooking oil – a feedstock whose availability is approaching its projected limits. Biofuel from waste animal fats presents a promising option to expand the supply of lower-emissions marine fuels.

The outcomes of the pilot are expected to shed light on the practical steps to integrate biofuel blends from different feedstocks into existing supply chains. The diversity of biofuels will provide shipowners and operators with greater flexibility to optimise fuel procurement based on cost, availability, and lifecycle emissions performance.

Biofuels derived from different feedstocks can exhibit varying properties that may impact operations, including potential corrosion from oxidation, fuel system clogging caused by wax formation, which this pilot aims to assess.

The pilot will trace and verify the biofuel blend’s integrity aimed at bolstering confidence in emissions reductions reporting. The pilot will also provide insights into how robust tracing can support future marine fuel supply chains where biofuels from multiple feedstocks with varying lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions footprints are blended together.

This project is co-funded by the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore under the Maritime Innovation and Technology Fund (MINT).

 

Photo credit: Global Centre for Maritime Decarbonisation
Published: 3 June, 2026

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Biofuel

NYK starts one-year B100 bio bunker fuel trial on car carrier

In this trial, NYK will operate a car carrier continuously on B100 for one year to evaluate the impact on engines, fuel supply systems, and operational practices.
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June 3, 2026

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NYK starts one-year B100 bio bunker fuel trial on car carrier

Japanese shipping firm NYK on Tuesday (2 June) said it has commenced a one-year long-term trial involving the continuous use of 100% biofuel (B100) on an NYK-operated car carrier. 

In this trial, NYK will operate a car carrier continuously on B100 for one year to evaluate the impact on engines, fuel supply systems, and operational practices. High-purity biofuels such as B100 are known to be susceptible to degradation from oxygen, light, and heat, raising concerns about the stability of such fuels during long-term use.

In this trial, the biofuel primarily comprises FAME (Fatty Acid Methyl Ester) derived from used cooking oil and similar feedstocks.

The initiative is designed to evaluate the fuel’s effects on the vessel’s equipment and verify operational safety under real-world conditions. 

Through this effort, NYK seeks to accumulate technical expertise that will support the broader use of high-purity biofuels and further accelerate efforts to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

NYK has been advancing the use of biofuels through various initiatives. In 2024, the company conducted a trial using biofuel blend B24 and subsequently expanded practical usage to B30. However, the company said there remains limited global experience with the long-term continuous use of B100.

“By collecting long-term operational data through this trial, NYK aims to accumulate valuable technical insights to support both the safe operation of vessels and the wider adoption of high-purity biofuels,” it said. 

 

Photo credit: NYK
Published: 3 June, 2026

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Ammonia

AM Green plans to build green ammonia plant at Indian port

Initiative also includes development of green ammonia handling, storage and bunkering infrastructure, pilot bunkering operations, safety procedures and training programmes, says VOC Port Authority.

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June 3, 2026

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VO Chidambaranar (VOC) Port Authority on Friday (29 May) said it has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with India’s ammonia producer AM Green Ammonia to collaborate in the development of a green ammonia production plant.

The plant will have a capacity of one million tonnes per annum (MTPA) at Tuticorin.

The initiative also includes development of green ammonia handling, storage and bunkering infrastructure, pilot bunkering operations, safety procedures and training programmes. 

The project is expected to support the development of green fuel corridors connecting VOC Port with major ports in Europe and Asia, thereby strengthening India’s position in the global green fuels value chain.

VOC Port also signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Bureau Veritas (India) Pvt. Ltd., to collaborate on Green Port certification, emissions accounting, ESG reporting, safety validation, development of green bunkering practices, and establishment of a Centre of Excellence for green fuels and sustainability.

The port also plans for an upcoming 750 m³ green methanol bunkering facility.

 

Photo credit: Naveed Ahmed on Unsplash
Published: 3 June, 2026

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