Editor's note [8 January 2025]: Photo updated.

Shanghai Port has begun regular methanol bunkering services following its inaugural refuelling operation for this year, according to Shanghai International Port Group (SIPG) on Friday (3 January).

The port carried out the first ship-to-ship (STS) bunkering operation during simultaneous operations (SIMOPS) for large methanol-powered container ships for 2025 in Yangshan Port Area on 1 January. 

SIPG’s bunkering vessel Hai Gang Zhi Yuan refuelled Ane Maersk with 3,000 metric tonnes (mt) of green methanol. The event also marked the second time the same bunkering vessel refuelled Ane Maersk. 

The first-ever STS green methanol bunkering operation in Shanghai Port took place in April 2024 involving Astrid Maersk, which also marked the first green methanol bunkering in China. 

Shipping giant A.P. Moller – Maersk (Maersk) announced the first green methanol bunkering with simultaneous cargo and bunkering operations in China, involving its containership Astrid Maersk. 

Hai Gang Zhi Yuan is the first methanol bunkering vessel in the port. 

Manifold Times previously reported SIPG stating Shanghai Port’s goal is to reach an LNG bunkering capacity of 1 million cubic meters (m3) and a green methanol bunkering capacity of 1 million mt by 2030, achieving a “double-million” target.

Currently, Shanghai Port operates two LNG bunkering vessels and one methanol bunkering vessel, with plans to add one more of each soon. 

In 2023, SIPG also signed a MoU with Maersk to explore green methanol fuel vessel-to-vessel bunkering operation after the delivery of Maersk’s green methanol container vessels in 2024.

Related: Shanghai Port ramps up LNG and methanol bunkering to achieve ‘double-million’ target
Related: Maersk and Shanghai International Port ink deal on green methanol bunkering
Related: Historic first for China with first green methanol bunkering op of “Astrid Maersk”

Photo credit: A.P. Moller – Maersk
Published: 8 January, 2025

Shanghai International Port Group (SIPG) recently said Shanghai Port’s goal is to reach an LNG bunkering capacity of 1 million cubic meters (m3) and a green methanol bunkering capacity of 1 million metric tonnes (mt) by 2030, achieving a “double-million” target.

Shanghai Port has completed 125 bonded LNG bunkering operations for international vessels, with a total bunkering volume of 730,000 m3 in 2024.

“LNG bunkering services are becoming regular services at the port, with expected annual bunkering volume reaching 450,000 m3 in 2024, a growth of over 70%,” it said. 

Shanghai Port is also on track to achieve full coverage of LNG bunkering for its container terminals. 

In April last year, Shanghai Port successfully completed China’s first green methanol bunkering operation for a large container vessel, marking a historic milestone for China. 

Shipping giant A.P. Moller – Maersk (Maersk) announced the first green methanol bunkering with simultaneous cargo and bunkering operations in China, involving its containership Astrid Maersk. 

By 2025, Shanghai Port will establish regular green methanol bunkering services. 

Currently, Shanghai Port operates two LNG bunkering vessels and one methanol bunkering vessel, with plans to add one more of each soon. 

Manifold Times previously reported SIPG signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with  Korea-based integrated logistics company HMM to cooperate in the supply of clean marine fuel, focusing on bunkering methanol and LNG at Shanghai Port. 

In 2023, SIPG also signed a MoU with Maersk to explore green methanol fuel vessel-to-vessel bunkering operation after the delivery of Maersk’s green methanol container vessels in 2024.

Related: Historic first for China with first green methanol bunkering op of “Astrid Maersk”
Related: HMM and SIPG ink MoU for methanol and LNG bunkering in Shanghai Port
Related: Maersk and Shanghai International Port ink deal on green methanol bunkering
Related: CMA CGM achieves 100th SIMOPS LNG bunkering operation in Shanghai

Photo credit: Shanghai International Port Group
Published: 7 January, 2025

The Methanol Institute recently shared with Manifold Times the renewable and low-carbon methanol project pipeline December 2024 release produced by GENA Solutions Oy (Green Energy Analytics).

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 highlights of the December 2024 release are as follows:

•   The renewable methanol project pipeline increased from 31.8 Mt in November to 33.0 Mt in December (+1.2 Mt). The total renewable and low-carbon methanol project pipeline grew from 39.9 Mt to 41.2 Mt.
•   As of December 2024, GENA tracks 115 e-methanol plants and projects with total capacity of 18.3 Mt, 83 biomethanol plants and projects with total capacity of 14.7 Mt, and 14 low-carbon methanol plants and projects with total capacity of 8.1 Mt.
•   Nine projects were added in the December release: eight in China and one in the United States. One project was excluded from the Project Navigator.
•   Two renewable methanol projects in China have started construction during the last month, and one project has started engineering. Currently, 2.5 Mt of renewable methanol facilities are under construction, which represents a 1.8 Mt increase compared to January 2024.  
•   The renewable methanol project pipeline has increased by 15.1 Mt (+84%) from January to December 2024, while low-carbon methanol increased by 3.8 Mt (+88%).
•   Renewable methanol capacity by 2030 could reach 7.5 Mt in the Advanced Projects scenario, 13.7 Mt in the Higher Probability Projects scenario, and 3.1 Mt in the After FID Projects scenario.

Note: The full article can be viewed here. 

Photo credits: GENA Solutions
Published: 7 January, 2024