Methanol

Cargill’s first green methanol dual-fuel dry bulk vessel to bunker in Singapore

Ship departed the Philippines on 15 January and will bunker green methanol in Singapore, then proceed to Western Australia before sailing onward to Europe.

Published

6 months ago

January 16, 2026

Admin

Cargill’s first green methanol dual-fuel dry bulk vessel to bunker in Singapore

Cargill on Thursday (15 January) announced the maiden voyage of Brave Pioneer, the first of five green methanol dual-fuel dry bulk vessels chartered by the company.

The deployment of the Brave Pioneer marks another important milestone in Cargill’s broader decarbonization efforts – one focused on innovation, testing and learning as the company works with customers and partners to refine future-ready solutions for Cargill and the industry.

Built by Tsuneishi Shipbuilding Co., Ltd. and owned by Mitsui & Co. Ltd., Brave Pioneer is equipped to operate on both conventional marine fuels and green methanol, a lower-carbon alternative. The estimated CO2 saving of using green methanol compared to conventional fuel is up to 70%.

The ship departed the Philippines on 15 January and will bunker green methanol in Singapore, then proceed to Western Australia before sailing onward to Europe. Through Brave Pioneer’s maiden voyage, Cargill will conduct a series of operational trials designed evaluate methanol bunkering readiness, understand how environmental attributes can be traced and verified through carbon accounting systems, and assess market appetite for low-carbon freight services.

“Decarbonising global shipping requires a mix of technologies and the willingness to take bold steps before the entire ecosystem is ready,” said Jan Dieleman, President of Cargill’s Ocean Transportation business.

“Technologies like green methanol or wind-assisted propulsion come with uncertainty. But as an industry leader, we have a responsibility to test these innovations on the water, share what we learn, and help shape the systems and standards that will enable wider adoption.”

The launch of Brave Pioneer paves the way for the four additional vessels that will join Cargill’s fleet over the coming years. The addition of these vessels strengthens Cargill’s multi-solution decarbonization approach, which includes wind-assisted propulsion, voyage optimisation technologies, energy-efficiency retrofits and exploration of alternative fuels such as biofuels and ethanol.

Each represents another step in the company’s broader efforts to embed sustainability into global ocean supply chains and support customers looking for practical, lower-carbon freight options.

“We know the road to low carbon shipping will require a mix of solutions and green methanol is one part of that portfolio,” Dieleman continued. “Our new fleet is about optionality and adaptability. These vessels are engineered to perform at a best-in-class level on conventional fuel today, while allowing us to switch to greener fuels as availability improves. It’s a practical way to future-proof ocean transport.”

As one of the world’s largest charterers of dry bulk freight, Cargill’s actions send a strong demand signal to the market and serve as an open invitation for others in the maritime sector to join in advancing the transition to sustainable shipping.

The initiative supports Cargill’s broader effort to reduce supply chain emissions and invest and test practical innovations that advance progress toward a more sustainable global food system. Green methanol-enabled vessels—paired with the eventual expansion of renewable fuel supply—are expected to play a meaningful role in reducing maritime emissions over the coming decade

Photo credit: Cargill
Published: 16 January, 2026

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Methanol

China launches methanol shipping supply chain alliance to accelerate green transition

Marine fuel suppliers in the alliance include Sinopec Fuel Oil Sales, China Marine Bunker (PetroChina), SIPG Energy (Shanghai), and Shenzhen Port Energy Development.

Published

1 day ago

July 17, 2026

Admin

China Waterborne Transport Research Institute under the Ministry of Transport and China Transport News recently jointly launched a Methanol Fuel Shipping Supply Chain Innovation Alliance with 20 organisations spanning the shipping, port, energy, equipment, research and industry association sectors.

The alliance was officially announced during the main event of China Maritime Day 2026 on 11 July, where members also released a joint initiative to develop a collaborative methanol-fuelled shipping supply chain.

The alliance aims to implement China’s national strategy for green economic transformation and support the Ministry of Transport’s “One Network, Four Modernisations” initiative by building a safe, efficient, economical and reliable methanol marine fuel supply chain

Under the joint initiative, alliance members pledged to align with China’s national decarbonisation strategy by promoting methanol as a key pathway for the shipping sector’s green transition and optimising the industry’s energy mix.

The members also pledged to strengthen collaboration across the supply chain to improve coordination between bunker fuel production, transportation and end users while advancing technological innovation.

Lastly, the alliance will support the development of policies, planning and technical standards, promote resource sharing and joint research, and accelerate the large-scale adoption of methanol as a marine fuel.

The alliance brings together companies and organisations representing the entire methanol shipping supply chain.

Members include shipping and port members such as China Changjiang National Shipping (Group) Corporation, COSCO Shipping Bulk Co., Ltd., Shandong Port Group, and Wuhan Chuangxin Jianghai Shipping Co., Ltd.

Energy companies in the alliance include Sinopec Chemical Commercial Holding Company Limited and Methanex Corporation.

Marine fuel suppliers including Sinopec Fuel Oil Sales, China Marine Bunker (PetroChina), SIPG Energy (Shanghai) Co Ltd and Shenzhen Port Energy Development Co Ltd are also part of the alliance.

Equipment manufacturers in the alliance are CSSC 711th Research Institute, CSSC Power (Group) Corporation Ltd and Chongqing Hongjiang Machinery Co Ltd.

Research, media and industry organisations participating in the alliance include the China Waterborne Transport Research Institute, China Transport News, and the Methanol Institute.

The Methanol Institute said methanol is moving beyond individual projects towards coordinated action across the entire value chain.

“And China continues to play a leading role in advancing methanol as a marine fuel,” it said in a social media post.

“We’re proud to work alongside our fellow alliance members to help strengthen the methanol supply chain and support the continued growth of methanol as a marine fuel.”

Photo credit: David Yu from Pixabay
Published: 17 July, 2026

Methanol

MTF releases new safety guidelines for methanol-fuelled ships

Recognising that methanol as a marine fuel remains at an early stage of adoption, the guidelines place particular emphasis on risk-based decision-making, continuous improvement and organisational agility.

Published

1 day ago

July 17, 2026

Admin

The Maritime Technologies Forum (MTF) recently announced the publication of new guidelines to support companies in developing new Safety Management Systems (SMS) and strengthening existing SMS for ships using methanol as marine fuel.

As the maritime industry accelerates its decarbonisation efforts, low-carbon methanol has emerged as one of the most scalable alternative fuel options.

Its liquid state under ambient conditions, compatibility with existing fuel infrastructure, and increasing industry adoption make methanol an attractive near-term solution. However, its toxicity, low flashpoint and invisible vapour and flame characteristics introduce new safety challenges for the maritime industry that require enhanced procedural controls and risk management measures for safe operations.

“Developed collaboratively by MTF members and industry stakeholders with expertise in methanol fuel technologies and the International Safety Management (ISM) Code, the guidelines provide methanol-specific recommendations across all functional areas of an SMS,” MTF said in a statement.

The guidelines emphasised the importance of learning from hazardous occurrences, near-misses and accidents involving methanol fuel.

The report also highlighted the importance of developing versatile SMS frameworks capable of supporting mixed-fuel operations during the transition period, where both conventional fuels and methanol may be carried and used onboard.

Human factors are identified as a critical element in ensuring safe methanol operations. The guidelines recommend that companies assess competency, training, familiarisation and resource requirements based on individual roles and responsibilities.

By providing clear, practical recommendations aligned with the ISM Code, the new MTF guidelines aim to support the safe and effective adoption of methanol as fuel while enabling the maritime industry’s transition towards lower-carbon shipping.

Note: The new guidelines can be viewed here.

Photo credit: CHUTTERSNAP on Unsplash
Published: 17 July, 2026

Bunker Fuel

Singapore: Bunker fuel sales up by 1.6% on year in June 2026

4.67 million mt of various marine fuel grades were delivered at the world’s largest bunkering port in June, up from 4.59 million mt recorded during the similar month in 2025.

Published

3 days ago

July 15, 2026

Admin

Sales of marine fuel at Singapore port increased by 1.6% on year in June 2026, according to data from the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA).

In total, 4.67 million metric tonnes (mt) (exact 4,669,100 mt) of various marine fuel grades were delivered at the world’s largest bunkering port in June, up from 4.59 million mt (4,594,700 mt) recorded during the similar month in 2025.

Deliveries of marine fuel oil, low sulphur fuel oil, ultra low sulphur fuel oil, marine gas oil and marine diesel oil in June (against on year) recorded respectively 2.03 million mt (+19.4% from 1.70 million mt), 2.20 million mt (-4.8% from 2.31 million mt), zero (-100% from 1,900 mt), 1,900 mt (-57.8% from 4,500 mt) and zero (from zero).

Bunker Jun

Bio-blended variants of marine fuel oil, low sulphur fuel oil, ultra low sulphur fuel oil, marine gas oil and marine diesel oil in June, (against on year) recorded respectively 5,300 mt (-86.3% from 38,800 mt), 30,700 mt (-73.1% from 114,300 mt), zero (from zero), zero (from zero) and zero (from zero). B100 biofuel bunkers, introduced in February last year, recorded 1,500 mt (+50% from 1,000 mt).

LNG and methanol sales were 55,000 mt (-0.72% from 55,400 mt) and zero (from zero) respectively. There were no recorded sales of ammonia for the month and so far since 2025.

Photo credit: Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore
Published: 15 July, 2026