MITSUI E&S on Monday (3 August) announced that Mitsui E&S DU, a group company of MITSUI E&S, has successfully completed the Factory Acceptance Test (FAT) of the DU-WinGD 6X82DF-M-1.0 LP-SCR, the first methanol dual-fuel WinGD large marine engine built in Japan.

The engine is also the first WinGD large marine engine manufactured at MITSUI E&S Tamano Works.

“The engine is scheduled to be installed on the first vessel in a series of four vessels being built for a domestic shipowner,” the company said on its website. 

By utilising green methanol as fuel, it will contribute to a substantial reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from shipping operations.

“To meet the expected increase in marine engine demand under the Japanese government’s Shipbuilding Industry Revitalisation Roadmap, the MITSUI E&S Group is working to enhance production efficiency for large marine engines through integrated operation at MITSUI E&S Tamano and Mitsui E&S DU Aioi,” the company added.

Photo credit: MITSUI E&S
Published: 4 August, 2026

The UK Chamber of Shipping on Monday (3 August) published Alternative Fuels: Building the Safety Evidence Base, a report bringing together industry expertise to identify and assess the safety considerations associated with the fuels expected to power shipping’s transition to net zero.

Developed through the Chamber’s Safety of Alternative Fuels Working Group (SAFWG), the publication provides preliminary, high-level risk assessments covering five key fuel pathways: Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS), biofuels, methanol, hydrogen and ammonia. 

Francesco Sandrelli, Policy Director (Environment) at the UK Chamber of Shipping, said: “Shipping is on a critical pathway to net zero. New fuels and energy sources are moving from pilot projects to commercial reality, but safety, standards and operational readiness must keep pace.

“There is no single fuel that will decarbonise shipping. Different vessel types, trades and operating environments will require different solutions. What is essential is that the transition takes place safely. This publication is an important step towards achieving that goal.”

Among the report’s key findings is the need for robust design and process safety frameworks to support the commercial deployment of alternative fuels. The research also highlights a number of cross-cutting themes, including material compatibility, emergency response preparedness, crew training and competence, and the need for clearer regulatory pathways. 

The report represents a major collaborative effort by industry to build a shared understanding of the opportunities and challenges associated with alternative marine fuels. It provides practical insights into the known risks, highlights where further work is needed, and creates a foundation for future research, regulation and operational learning. 

The SAFWG was established by the UK Chamber of Shipping to support industry understanding of the safety implications associated with emerging zero and near-zero emission fuels. 

The report is the culmination of the Working Group’s first year of activity, during which more than 200 participants from over 50 organisations collaborated through a series of technical workshops delivered by Policy Director Francesco Sandrelli, supported by Robert Merrylees and Paul Markides. 

The publication forms part of the UK Chamber’s wider work to support shipping’s transition to net zero while maintaining the highest standards of safety and operational excellence. 

Future work by the SAFWG will focus on identifying regulatory and knowledge gaps, developing project-specific case studies, expanding stakeholder engagement and establishing an incident and lessons-learned database. 

Note: The report, Alternative Fuels: Building the Safety Evidence Base, can be found here. 

Photo credit: Chris Pagan on Unsplash
Published: 4 August, 2026

The Methanol Institute recently shared with Manifold Times the renewable and low-carbon methanol project pipeline July 2026 release produced by GENA Solutions Oy.

Information from the release is meant to provide the bunkering publication’s readers with insight on renewable methanol availability, and to assist the maritime industry in the adoption of methanol as a mainstream marine fuel heading into IMO 2030/2050.

Key takeaways from GENA’s July 2026 Methanol release are as follows:

• The project pipeline contracted by 0.5 Mt month on month, mainly due to the cancellation of a large-scale e-methanol project in the United States.
• As of the end of July 2026, GENA tracks 285 renewable and low-carbon methanol projects, representing 61.8 Mt of capacity by 2032. This includes 24.4 Mt of e-methanol, 26.3 Mt of biomethanol, and 11.2 Mt of low-carbon methanol capacity.
• Five new projects were added to Project Navigator, while four frozen projects were excluded.
• Europe and China account for 21% and 63%, respectively, of the global renewable methanol project pipeline. Following recent project cancellations, North America now accounts for just 6%. Meanwhile, India is emerging as a new center of renewable methanol development.
• During the past month, we registered more than 30 milestones achieved by methanol projects, including the delivery of an e-methanol reactor, the award of an EPC contract, the start of steel structure installation, and the signing of a long-term offtake agreement.
• GENA estimates that operational renewable methanol capacity could grow from 0.9 Mt currently to 6–12 Mt by the end of 2031, depending on regulatory and market developments.

Note: The full article can be viewed here.

Photo credit: GENA Solutions
Published: 4 August, 2026