Shenzhen and Hong Kong issue methanol bunkering safety guidelines

Shenzhen and Hong Kong authorities recently jointly issued safety guidelines of methanol bunkering operations in view of the potential growing demand for methanol, according to the Shenzhen authorities. 

Both cities are separated only by a narrow river, the 37km-long Sham Chun River. 

The Shenzhen Maritime Safety Administration and Authority of Qianhai Shenzhen-Hong Kong Modern Service Industry Cooperation Zone of Shenzhen Municipality (Qianhai Authority) jointly issued the Guidelines for Safety Inspection of Methanol Bunkering Operations in Shenzhen and Hong Kong, and simultaneously issued them in Hong Kong with the support of the Marine Department of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government. 

The guidelines provide specific operating standards for methanol fuel bunkering operations in Shenzhen and Hong Kong waters to promote the development of the marine green fuel industry.

Qianhai Authority said the release of the guidelines will provide relatively consistent reference guidelines for safe operation of bunkering operations for methanol-powered ships and bunkering vessels traveling between Shenzhen and Hong Kong. 

“The guidelines will avoid burdening ships traveling between Shenzhen and Hong Kong in adapting to different reference standards and switching operating procedures, effectively reduce the compliance costs of bunkering, and will effectively promote the development of the green marine fuel industry,” it said. 

Qianhai Authority added data shows that orders for methanol-powered ships have seen exponential growth, and about 25% of the 285 new alternative fuel ships to be delivered worldwide in 2025 will use methanol fuel. 

“Green fuel bunkering capability has become an important indicator for measuring the international competitiveness of ports,” it added. 

In November 2024, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government promulgated the Action Plan on Green Maritime Fuel Bunkering to develop Hong Kong into a top-tier green maritime fuel bunkering centre through five major strategies and 10 actions to achieve the International Maritime Organization’s emission reduction goals. Among the five strategies, Hong Kong will complete the drafting of the Code of Practice (CoP) on green methanol bunkering in 2025 and start setting the future development directions for hydrogen and green ammonia bunkering in Hong Kong.

In June this year, Hong Kong’s Marine Department announced the launch of the Green Maritime Fuel Bunkering Incentive Scheme to facilitate the development of Hong Kong into a green maritime fuel bunkering centre.

Under the current tranche of the Scheme, which targets liquefied natural gas (LNG) and green methanol, an incentive of HKD 500,000 will be granted to each pioneer company for each of its first two LNG or green methanol bunkering operations completed within one year from the MD’s acceptance of its risk assessment.

Related: Hong Kong unveils action plan to become green maritime bunkering centre
Related: Hong Kong announces green bunkering incentive scheme for LNG and methanol

Photo credit: Qianhai Authority
Published: 22 July, 2025