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Ørsted selected by US DOE to receive funding for e-methanol plant in Texas

Star e-Methanol is estimated to produce up to 300,000 mt of e-methanol annually which can be used directly as a bunker fuel, or as an input in sustainable aviation fuel or in chemical production.

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Ørsted selected by US DOE to receive funding for e-methanol plant in Texas

U.S. clean energy developer Ørsted on Monday (25 March) announced it has been selected by the Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations to begin award negotiations for up to USD 100 million in federal funding to construct a Power-to-X facility, called Star e-Methanol, along the Texas Gulf Coast.

Ørsted’s project was selected as one of 33 projects across more than 20 states to demonstrate commercial-scale decarbonisation solutions needed to move energy-intensive industries toward net-zero.

It was one of a subset chosen for funding that, according to the DOE’s Funding Opportunity Announcement, represents a “world-leading, first-or early-of-a-kind, full facility build resulting in significant emissions reductions up to net-zero operations.”

“The production of e-methanol will be critical to achieving rapid decarbonisation for the most hard-to-electrify sectors, and we are thrilled to have the U.S. Department of Energy’s support to develop and scale this new industry,” said Melissa Peterson, Head of Onshore and P2X Americas at Ørsted. “Beyond decarbonisation, Ørsted’s investments in Texas and in the e-fuels industry will create new American jobs and deliver economic value and benefits to local communities.”

The U.S. industrial and transportation sectors accounts for 65% of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions.  Ørsted is leveraging its renewable power portfolio to produce green hydrogen and e-methanol to reduce emissions from these sectors. 

Star e-Methanol is estimated to produce up to 300,000 metric tonnes (mt) of e-methanol annually which can be used directly as a marine shipping fuel, or as an input in sustainable aviation fuel or in chemical production, which all currently rely on energy-intensive fossil-derived fuels. 

The Star e-Methanol project consists of multiple components to reach a net-neutral carbon solution. This includes building new onshore wind and solar projects in Texas to power the electrolysis of green hydrogen, capturing biogenic carbon from an industrial facility, and synthesising the captured biogenic carbon with green hydrogen to create e-methanol. The resulting e-methanol will reduce CO2 emissions by more than 90 percent compared to conventional marine fuel.

 

Photo credit: Ørsted
Published: 27 March 2024

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Singapore-based ONE celebrates maiden voyage of methanol-and-ammonia ready boxship

Following the successful deployment of “ONE Singapore” and its sister vessels, “ONE Solidarity” will be deployed on the Mediterranean Pacific South 2 (MS2) service.

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Singapore-based ONE celebrates maiden voyage of methanol-and-ammonia ready boxship

Singapore-based container shipping company Ocean Network Express (ONE) on Thursday (3 July) said it celebrated the maiden voyage of containership ONE Solidarity as the ship made its first-ever arrival in Shekou, China. 

“As one of our S-series methanol and ammonia ready container vessels, ONE Solidarity is another demonstration of ONE’s commitment to sustainable shipping,” the company said in a social media post. 

Following the successful deployment of ONE Singapore and its sister vessels, ONE Solidarity will be deployed on the Mediterranean Pacific South 2 (MS2) service. 

“Her deployment will boost our service capacity, ensuring faster, more reliable, and highly efficient shipping offerings across key global trade lanes,” the company added.

 

Photo credit: Ocean Network Express
Published: 3 July, 2026

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“Lucia Cosulich” enters final preparation ahead of bunkering operations

Following delivery of the ship in China, it will now enter the final preparation phase ahead of its next operational steps, strengthening Fratelli Cosulich’s ability to provide reliable bunkering solutions.

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“Lucia Cosulich” enters final preparation ahead of bunkering operations

Fratelli Cosulich Marine Energy on Thursday (2 July) celebrated the delivery of Lucia Cosulich at Taizhou Maple Leaf Shipyard in China.

The vessel is the second of four sister methanol-ready IMO II bunker tankers developed within the Group’s fleet expansion programme and follows the launching ceremony held on 2 May 2026.

Designed to support the Group’s bunkering operations and future fuel requirements, Lucia Cosulich is part of the new generation of vessels developed by Fratelli Cosulich Marine Energy to combine operational reliability, safety and fuel flexibility.

Lucia Cosulich will now enter the final preparation phase ahead of its next operational steps, further strengthening the Group’s ability to provide reliable bunkering solutions.

“We wish Lucia Cosulich and her crew fair winds on the next stage of her journey,” the company said. 

Related: Fratelli Cosulich launches second methanol-ready bunker tanker in China

 

Photo credit: Fratelli Cosulich
Published: 3 July, 2026

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DNV: Alternative-fuelled vessel orders down 11.6% in H1 2026

In total, 137 alternative-fuelled vessels were ordered in the first half of 2026 compared to 155 in the same period in 2025.

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DNV: Alternative-fuelled vessel orders down 11.6% in H1 2026

Latest data from classification society DNV’s Alternative Fuels Insight (AFI) platform showed a total of 15 new orders for alternative-fuelled vessels were placed in June 2026.

This consisted of 10 orders for LNG-fuelled vessels, nine of which were car carriers and one a CO2 carrier. The remaining five orders were for LPG/ethane carriers.

Two LNG-bunker vessels were also ordered in June, bringing the total in this segment to seven so far in 2026.

In total, 137 alternative-fuelled vessels were ordered in the first half of 2026, down 11.6% from 155 in the same period in 2025. 

Over half of these (73) were for LNG-fuelled vessels, with most coming from the container (42) and car carrier (21) segments. LPG/ethane carriers were also prominent, with 55 new orders, a significant uptick compared to the first half of 2025 (15). The remaining orders were for vessels fuelled by methanol (2), ethanol (2), ammonia (4), and hydrogen (1).

Deliveries in the first half of the year point to continued uptake of alternative-fuelled tonnage across several segments, with 61 LNG-fuelled vessels and 38 methanol-fuelled vessels delivered so far in 2026.

More recently, Exmar took delivery of what it described as the first oceangoing dual-fuel ammonia vessel, marking a step beyond earlier ammonia-fuelled deliveries, which have largely been associated with pilot or demonstration projects rather than commercial deployment.

DNV: Alternative-fuelled vessel orders down 11.6% in H1 2026

Jason Stefanatos, Global Decarbonization Director at DNV Maritime, said: “What we can take away from the first half of 2026, in terms of the alternative-fuels orderbook, is that we have a market progressing at different speeds depending on segment economics, fuel availability, and the regulatory landscape. Shipowners and other stakeholders are pursuing different pathways based on their individual priorities and requirements.

“LNG remains the leading near-term fuel option, with order activity continuing to be led by containers and car carriers. LPG and ethane carriers have also accounted for a significant share of activity in the first half of the year, while developments in areas such as ammonia and ethanol show that multiple pathways continue to be explored.”

 

Photo credit: DNV
Published: 3 July, 2026

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