Equisera and VertomCory to explore bio-methanol bunker fuel supply in UK

Waste-to-gas technology developer Equisera on Wednesday (4 November) announced that it is working with global maritime services group VertomCory to explore bio-methanol supply for the shipping sector, with a focus on making low-carbon marine fuel in Britain from UK biogenic waste.

Shipping is under growing pressure to decarbonise. Since July 2026, voyages between UK ports have been covered by the UK Emissions Trading Scheme (UK ETS), and International Maritime Organization member states are expected to return in December to a decision on a global fuel standard and carbon price for shipping.

Methanol is one of the more practical alternative fuels for the sector. It is liquid at ambient temperature, can be handled using established practice and already runs in commercially available dual-fuel engines. According to DNV, more than 450 methanol-capable vessels were operating or on order by December 2025. To deliver a real emissions benefit, however, it needs to come from a renewable source, and supply of renewable methanol is still at an early stage.

The two companies see coastal and short-sea shipping as a practical place to start. These services tend to run to regular patterns and call at a manageable number of UK ports, making them well suited to proving low-carbon fuels at commercial scale through green shipping corridors, where fuel supply, vessels and bunkering infrastructure are developed together. Making maritime fuel in Britain from UK waste could also strengthen energy security, reduce reliance on fossil marine fuels and support British engineering and manufacturing.

Peter Wilson, Group CEO, VertomCory, said: “Our collaboration with Equisera reflects VertomCory’s determination to turn the ambition of maritime decarbonisation into practical, commercially scalable action. 

“By bringing together Equisera’s innovative RiPR technology, which converts waste into the clean gases needed for bio-methanol production, with our maritime, logistics and customer expertise, we have an opportunity to help establish a credible UK supply chain for lower-carbon marine fuel and demonstrate how meaningful partnerships can accelerate the transition to cleaner shipping. We are proud to support this project and its potential to create a replicable pathway for bio-methanol, strengthening both the resilience and sustainability of the maritime sector.”

James Milner, CEO, Equisera, said: “Shipping needs low-carbon fuels it can rely on, and the UK already has a valuable resource in its biogenic waste. Our RiPR technology turns that waste into the hydrogen, biomethane and carbon dioxide that bio-methanol production depends on. Working with VertomCory, with their deep understanding of how ships are fuelled and operated, gives us the opportunity to explore how that can become a secure, home-grown fuel supply for UK shipping, strengthening energy security and supporting British engineering along the way.”

Photo credit: Equisera
Published: 5 November, 2026