Alternative Fuels

SMW 2024: Alternative fuels are greener but come with risks

Alternative bunker fuels – biofuels, methanol, LNG, and ammonia – are not more risky than traditional fuels but need to be handled safely and effectively, says Diego Cosulich of CMC Marine.

Published

2 years ago

April 29, 2024

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SMW 2024: Alternative fuels are greener but come with risks

The article ‘Handle with care: Alternative fuels are greener but come with risks’ was first published on Issue 5 of the Singapore Maritime Week 2024 Show Dallies; it has been reproduced in its entirety on Singapore bunkering publication Manifold Times with permission from The Nutgraf and the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore:

Jaime Niam
[email protected]

The maritime industry is looking to make alternative marine propulsion fuels mainstream, to meet new industry emissions standards. But facilitating this transition requires careful management of its risks, said Mr Diego Cosulich, Regional Director and Consulting Chemist at CMC Marine.

Sharing his insights at the Maritime Services Leaders Forum on Thursday, he noted that alternative fuels – biofuels, methanol, liquefied natural gas (LNG), and ammonia – are not more risky than traditional fuels. They simply need to be handled safely and effectively.

“The usage of these new bunkers is far from impossible, just more complicated,” said Mr Cosulich in his presentation titled Managing Risks of Future Marine Propulsion Fuels, emphasising the need for new safety considerations to ensure their viability.

In fact, attitudes towards traditional fuels, which have been considered relatively safe, have also changed in the past few years, he added. This follows recent cases of chemical contamination in bunkers that have resulted in catastrophic costs due to engine blackouts, causing groundings and collisions.

With alternative fuels, the key is to develop a comprehensive understanding of their characteristics – and how to use and store them properly, he said.

BIOFUELS

With its adoption in the aviation and land transport industries, biofuels are also considered a viable alternative in maritime. This is in large part due to their drop-in nature, enabling them to be used without substantial retrofitting of existing vessel infrastructure.

But their production is labour-intensive and prolonged storage can lead to microbial growth, resulting in clogging or fouling. Regular tank inspections are required to ensure that these do not result in engine failures or exposure risks to the crew.

METHANOL

Easy to store and handle, with no need for costly cryogenic fuel tanks, methanol is gaining traction as a viable alternative fuel.

Its risks mostly have to do with its flammability at ambient temperatures – especially when it burns with an invisible flame. “It’s one thing to fight a fire you can see, and another to fight one you cannot see,” said Mr Cosulich.

Methanol also dissolves very quickly in water, resulting in rapid marine pollution once there are leaks.

LNG

LNG is often considered the preferred alternative fuel, as it is able to reduce up to 23 per cent of greenhouse gas emissions.

The main challenge lies with its storage. LNG takes up a lot of space, having to be stored in cryogenic conditions at -162 deg C to shrink its volume for transport. It also has low specific energy, storing less energy per unit of volume. Bunker tanks have to be almost double their current size in order to accommodate the same energy capacity as traditional fuels.

AMMONIA

While the other three fuels are low-carbon options, ammonia gas is the only product that is completely carbon-free. But its toxicity is a huge concern.

To avoid serious health hazards, ammonia cannot be directly released into the atmosphere and requires another layer of compartmentalisation in the engine room to minimise exposure and leakage risks.

Ultimately, bunkering will become a highly specialised operation for all alternative fuels, and this requires highly trained and proficient personnel to safely and successfully pull off.

“The bunker quantity survey should become the bunker quantity and safety survey (BQSS),” Mr Cosulich said. “The crew should be highly trained and licensed to handle each type of new fuel, and BQSS should be compulsory for the first few years until the industry is more confident with more available data.”

Singapore Maritime Week 2024 was organised by Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore from 15 to 19 April.

Photo credit: Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore
Article credit: The Nutgraf/ Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore
Published: 29 April 2024

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Methanol

World Fuel and partners complete first green methanol bunkering of car carrier in Shanghai

Operation involved the delivery of approximately 2,800 MT of green methanol to “Arctic Tern” via a ship-to-ship transfer using SIPG Energy’s dedicated methanol bunkering vessel “M/V Hai Gang Zhi Yuan”.

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July 22, 2026

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World Fuel and partners complete first green methanol bunkering of car carrier in Shanghai

Marine fuel provider World Fuel on Tuesday (21 July) said it successfully completed the first green methanol bunkering of M/V Arctic Tern, with EUKOR Car Carriers and SIPG Energy at the Port of Shanghai.

Arctic Tern is the first vessel in the new Shaper Class series of car carriers.

The operation involved the delivery of approximately 2,800 MT of green methanol to Arctic Tern via a ship-to-ship transfer using SIPG Energy’s dedicated methanol bunkering vessel M/V Hai Gang Zhi Yuan, the largest vessel of its kind in operation.

The bunkering operation was carried out at Haitong Terminal, Waigaoqiao Port Area, Shanghai Port, with cargo handling operations conducted simultaneously during bunkering.

This marks EUKOR Car Carriers’ first green methanol operation and the first time Arctic Tern has bunkered methanol since its delivery on 9 July. The operation marked the first bunkering at Shanghai Port of green methanol produced locally in Shanghai for an international PCTC operator.

It also demonstrated the city’s integrated green methanol value chain, spanning local production, storage and bunkering, and established a replicable “Shanghai Model” for green methanol supply.

World Fuel arranged the supply and delivery of the fuel on behalf of EUKOR Car Carriers, working with SIPG Energy as the physical supplier at the Port of Shanghai.

The green methanol supplied was produced from municipal solid waste, ISCC-EU certified, and had a carbon intensity value below 25 gCO₂e/MJ.

Arctic Tern is the first of fourteen Shaper Class vessels ordered by Wallenius Wilhelmsen. With a capacity of 9,300 car equivalent units and methanol dual-fuel capability, the vessel will be operated by EUKOR Car Carriers, jointly owned by Wallenius Wilhelmsen and Hyundai Motor Group. Following her first green methanol bunkering, Arctic Tern will continue her maiden voyage from Asia to Europe.

Xavier Leroi, COO Shipping Services at Wallenius Wilhelmsen and CEO of EUKOR Car Carriers, said: “Completing Arctic Tern’s first green methanol bunkering shortly after delivery is a significant milestone towards our decarbonisation ambition for both EUKOR Car Carriers and Wallenius Wilhelmsen. It demonstrates how investments in next-generation vessel technology and fuel flexibility are being translated into real-world operations.

“This achievement reflects the strong collaboration between all parties involved. Together, we have shown how partnerships across the maritime value chain can help make lower-emission fuels available and operationally viable at scale.”

Mark Tamsitt, SVP Global Marine Sales at World Fuel, said, “The first bunkering event with a new fuel is a significant moment for any shipowner, and our role is to make it as seamless as possible. By connecting EUKOR Car Carriers with SIPG Energy’s proven green methanol capability at the Port of Shanghai, we were able to deliver on reliable supply, fuel quality, and safe processes. As more of our customers bring methanol dual-fuel tonnage into service, we are committed to being the partner that makes these kinds of operations routine.”

Mr. Zhang Da, General Manager of SIPG Energy, said, “Welcoming Arctic Tern to the Port of Shanghai for her first green methanol bunkering demonstrates the strength and maturity of our supply capability. Building on our well-established methanol ship-to-ship bunkering services for container vessels, we have already extended such services to pure car and truck carriers (PCTCs). This bunkering sets a new record for the largest single SIMOPs green methanol bunkering for PCTCs in China, marking another step in building Shanghai’s position as a global green energy hub for international shipping.”

This operation follows Wallenius Wilhelmsen’s announcement on 9 July that Arctic Tern would complete her first methanol bunkering shortly after delivery. The vessel entered service on routes between Asia and Europe immediately following handover from China Merchants Jinling Shipyard in Nanjing.

Photo credit: World Fuel
Published: 22 July, 2026

Ammonia

HPA and MB Energy develop safety concept for STS ammonia bunkering

HPA says the Port of Hamburg will become “bunker ready” for ammonia, laying the groundwork for safe and reliable ammonia bunkering in the future.

Published

9 hours ago

July 22, 2026

Admin

HPA and MB Energy develop safety concept for STS ammonia bunkering

The Hamburg Port Authority (HPA) and integrated energy company MB Energy on Tuesday (21 July) said they have completed a comprehensive risk analysis and developed a dedicated safety concept for ship-to-ship ammonia bunkering.

MB Energy said the analysis lays the groundwork for the safe introduction of ammonia as a future marine fuel.

“With our planned ammonia import terminal in Hamburg-Blumensand, MB Energy intends to provide the reliable land side supply infrastructure needed to support this transition across northern German ports,” it said in a social media post.

Mabanaft Group was renamed to MB Energy last year and merged over 50 existing brands under one identity.

Separately, HPA said the Port of Hamburg will become “bunker ready” for ammonia, laying the groundwork for safe and reliable ammonia bunkering in the future.

“The focus is in particular on container ships, cruise ships as well as RoRo and ConRo (Container/RoRo) ships,” it said.

“We expect ammonia to establish itself as an alternative marine marine fuel in the coming years. With our preparatory work, we are already creating the conditions to welcome the first ammonia-powered ships in Hamburg and to bunker them safely.:

HPA added that the import terminal for ammonia planned by MB Energy from 2029 will make a decisive contribution to ensuring the reliable availability of ammonia as a bunker fuel in northern German ports in the long term.

“The use of an ammonia bunker barge is considered a possible addition to the landside infrastructure to enable ship bunkering in the port and beyond in the future,” it said.

Photo credit: Hamburg Port Authority
Published: 22 July, 2026

LNG Bunkering

PIL’s LNG dual-fuel boxship “Kota Elok” arrives in Singapore on maiden call

As the first of 13 new 13,000 TEU vessels joining its fleet, Kota Elok is equipped to operate on LNG and low-sulphur fuel oil that helps reduce our greenhouse gas emissions.

Published

1 day ago

July 21, 2026

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PIL's LNG dual-fuel boxship “Kota Elok” arrives in Singapore on maiden call

Singapore-based Pacific International Lines Pte Ltd on Monday (20 July) said its first 13,000 TEU LNG dual-fuel container vessel, Kota Elok, recently made her maiden call to Singapore on 15 July.

As the first of 13 new 13,000 TEU vessels joining its fleet, Kota Elok is equipped to operate on liquefied natural gas (LNG) and low-sulphur fuel oil that helps reduce our greenhouse gas emissions.

The vessel also incorporated energy-saving features and digital technologies to reduce fuel consumption and enhance operational performance, as well as a bow windshield to improve aerodynamics, contributing to improved fuel efficiency and lower emissions over the course of long-haul voyages.

“Following Singapore, Kota Elok will continue her voyage on our East Coast Service 1 (ES1) route to South America, calling at ports in Brazil, Uruguay, and Argentina before returning to Asia,” the company said in a social media post.

Kota Elok also became PIL’s first vessel to receive Lloyd’s Register certification for compliance with the IACS UR E26 and UR E27 cyber security requirements.

Developed by the International Association of Classification Societies (IACS), UR E26 and UR E27 are mandatory cyber resilience requirements for newbuild vessels contracted from 1 July 2024.

Photo credit: Pacific International Lines
Published: 21 July, 2026