Alternative Fuels

Methanol Institute: Expanding green shipping and e-methanol adoption (Week 42, 14 to 20 Oct 2024)

Growth is accelerating in regional methanol bunkering capacity and demand for biofuel and e-methanol as shipping companies continue to recognise the benefits in their sustainability strategies.

Published

1 month ago

October 24, 2024

Admin

The Methanol Institute, provides an exclusive weekly commentary on developments related to the adoption of methanol as a bunker fuel, including significant related events recorded during the week, for the readers of bunkering publication Manifold Times:

Growth is accelerating in regional methanol bunkering capacity and demand for biofuel and e-methanol as shipping companies continue to recognise the benefits in their sustainability strategies. At the same time, policymakers are considering how to support shipowners in the adoption of alternative fuels within green corridor projects that will seek to lower emissions on key transport routes in European waters.

Methanol marine fuel related developments for Week 42 of 2024:

Pertamina Plans to Introduce B24 Biofuel and Methanol Bunker Supply in Singapore by 2025

Date: October 14, 2024

Key Points:

Pertamina, Indonesia's state energy company, announced plans to introduce B24 biofuel and methanol as bunker fuel in Singapore by mid-2025. Currently in the planning stage, the initiative aims to expand their marine fuel supply offerings beyond their existing B30 and B35 biofuel blends in Indonesia. Pertamina is still evaluating whether a dedicated bunker delivery vessel for methanol will be required for these operations.

X-Press Feeders Targets Transition to E-Methanol Fleet within 3-5 Years

Date: October 16, 2024

Key Points:

X-Press Feeders is planning to transition part of its fleet to e-methanol within the next three-to-five years as part of its net-zero emissions strategy. The company has already ordered 14 methanol-powered vessels, with full delivery expected by 2025. Initially, these ships will run on biomethanol, with plans to convert two to four vessels to e-methanol within the same period. This initiative is aligned with X-Press Feeders' broader goal to reduce emissions and promote sustainable shipping.

ONE Reduces Scope 1 Emissions by 62% and Invests in Green Shipping Initiatives

Date: October 16, 2024

Key Points:

Ocean Network Express (ONE) achieved a 62% reduction in Scope 1 emissions intensity in FY2023 compared to its 2008 baseline, according to data included in its 2024 Sustainability Report. The company also received approval in principle for ammonia dual-fuel vessels and invested in 13,000 TEU methanol-powered ships, set for delivery in 2027. These new vessels will include advanced features like optimized hulls, waste heat recovery and air lubrication systems, aligning with ONE’s goal of achieving net-zero emissions by 2050.

UK Maritime Minister Unveils £8 Million in Funding for Green Shipping Projects and Feasibility Studies

Date: October 17, 2024

Key Points:

UK Maritime Minister Mike Kane unveiled £8 million in funding to support 30 maritime decarbonisation projects through the Smart Shipping Acceleration Fund (SSAF). The Clean Maritime Demonstration Competition (CMDC5) also granted £640,958 for feasibility studies on green shipping corridors between the UK and Europe. These corridors include routes from the UK to the Netherlands, Ireland, Norway, and Denmark. Methanol-fuelled vessels are among the key technologies being developed, reflecting the UK’s focus on advancing sustainable fuels in shipping to meet its net-zero targets.

UK-Ireland Green Shipping Corridor Progresses with Grant

Date: October 18, 2024

Key Points:

Stena Line’s proposed green shipping corridor between Holyhead and Dublin, named "Greening the Irish Sea - The Central Corridor," has advanced with £122,303 in funding from the International Green Corridor Fund (IGCF). The project aims to assess the potential of e-methanol as an alternative fuel for vessels operated by Stena Line and Irish Ferries. A six-month study will evaluate infrastructure and environmental impacts, potentially establishing the first green shipping route between the UK and Ireland, with a focus on decarbonizing maritime trade through alternative fuels.

Photo credit: Methanol Institute
Published: 24 October, 2024

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Biofuel

Singapore: GCMD introduces new technique for FAME bio bunker fuel fingerprinting

Fingerprinting identifies feedstock origins of FAME-based biofuels used in shipping industry; can be used as a potential tool to detect fraud in marine fuel supply chains and ensure biofuel authenticity.

Published

8 hours ago

December 2, 2024

Admin

Singapore: GCMD introduces new technique for FAME bio bunker fuel fingerprinting

The Global Centre for Maritime Decarbonisation (GCMD) on Monday (2 December) released its latest report, presenting a new technique that creates a fingerprint for Fatty Acid Methyl Esters(FAME) bio bunker fuels.

This fingerprint identifies the feedstock origins of the FAME-based biofuels used in the shipping industry.

GCMD said FAME fingerprinting is needed as the shipping sector is increasingly using biofuels, such as FAME, to reduce its GHG emissions. With that, concerns have arisen regarding the legitimacy of biofuels and whether they are truly sustainable.

Industry bodies are seeing a rising number of cases mislabelling biofuels purported to be made from recycled oils and fats, while suspicions persist that they might be produced from cheaper and less sustainable virgin oils.

“To address these concerns, FAME fingerprinting can be used as a potential tool to detect fraud in marine fuel supply chains and ensure biofuel authenticity. By providing a physical validation method that complements existing certification schemes, FAME fingerprinting can help justify the green premium with genuine environmental benefits and safeguard the integrity of marine fuels supply chain,” GCMD said.

FAME fingerprinting is based on the principle that the fatty acid profile of FAME is unique to its feedstock and can be preserved during feedstock transesterification to produce FAME. The "fingerprint" can then be compared against a database of known fatty acid profiles to identify the feedstock origin.

GCMD worked with VPS who modified existing fuel testing methods to carry out sample analyses using a gas chromatograph with flame-ionisation detection, an instrument commonly found in fuel test laboratories.

The analysis takes about an hour, comparable to the turnaround time for current marine fuel quality testing in the supply chain.

“We have tested this method on a variety of FAME samples from different suppliers, including virgin oils, used cooking oils, palm oil mill effluent, beef tallow and food waste and were able to identify the feedstock origins for each sample,” GCMD added.

Manifold Times previously reported Captain Rahul Choudhuri, President, Strategic Partnerships at marine fuels testing company VPS, forecasting the use of finger printing technology today will likely establish a blueprint of how future alternative bunker fuels’ feedstocks are authenticated.

Captain Choudhuri said this when he gave an update of VPS’ biofuels finger printing trials with GCMD.

Note: The full report, titled ‘Rapid forensic analysis of FAME-based biofuels: Potential use of its fingerprint as a fraud detection tool’, can be downloaded here.

Photo credit: Global Centre for Maritime Decarbonisation
Published: 2 December, 2024

Methanol

PLAGEN to produce and supply green methanol bunker fuel with Latvia plant

Korean firm’s MoU with AE Risinājumi will see construction of Latvia’s first commercial-scale green methanol production plant, which will supply green methanol to ships in EU’s maritime fleet.

Published

8 hours ago

December 2, 2024

Admin

PLAGEN to produce and supply green methanol bunker fuel with Latvia plant

South Korean clean energy firm PLAGEN on Friday (29 November) signed an MOU with Latvian company, AE Risinājumi, for the production of green methanol in Latvia at the “2024 Latvia-Korea Business Forum” hosted by the President of Latvia.

The agreement will result in the construction of Latvia's first commercial-scale green methanol production plant, which will supply green methanol to ships in the EU's maritime fleet, contributing to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions from maritime transportation.

PLAGEN's MoU aims to produce 20,000 metric tonnes (mt) of green methanol per year and will begin feasibility studies in the first half of 2025, and full-scale production will begin in 2028.

With 53% of Latvia's land area covered by forests, timber production and wood processing make a significant contribution to Latvia’s economic production, which generates a large amount of forest residues and wood wastes. In addition, Latvia also has an abundance and low price of renewable electricity from wind power.

Latvia is one of the most competitive countries in the European Union, as it can produce clean methanol at a competitive price by using abundant wood waste as a raw material and renewable electricity from cheap wind power.

The use of abundant forest residues and wood wastes as a feedstock and cheap renewable electricity from wind power makes it possible to produce green methanol with a competitive price, making Latvia is one of the most competitive countries in the EU.

In the European Union, the European Emissions Trading Scheme (EU-ETS) will come into effect in 2025, requiring shipping companies to purchase carbon credits for their greenhouse gas emissions.

In addition, the EU is implementing FuelEU Maritime, which aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 2% below the 2020 average by 2025 and 80% by 2050. This is expected to result in an energy transition to green methanol.

In July 2023, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) adopted a revised strategy that calls for reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from ships to net-zero by or around 2050, and plans to introduce full-scale regulations from 2027, and shipping companies have begun ordering methanol-powered ships fueled by green methanol, a carbon-neutral fuel.

“We expect to start producing green methanol in Latvia in 2028, which will reduce greenhouse gas emissions from EU maritime transport vessels and contribute significantly to the revitalization of the Latvian economy and national energy security,” said John Kyung, CEO of PLAGEN.

In November 2024, PLAGEN completed the purchase of an industrial complex and received a government permit for the construction of the country's first green methanol plant in Dongjeom Industrial Complex in Taebaek City, Gangwon-do.

The project, which will produce 10,000 mt per year, is scheduled to begin construction in the first half of 2025 and begin production in the second half of 2027.

Photo credit: PLAGEN
Published: 2 December, 2024

LNG Bunkering

Molgas commences LNG bunkering operations in United Kingdom

Firm successfully completed the first LNG bunkering of “MV Glen Sannox” since the ship was handed over to CalMac Ferries Limited last week.

Published

8 hours ago

December 2, 2024

Admin

Molgas commences LNG bunkering operations in United Kingdom

Molgas Group on Friday (29 November) said it successfully completed the first LNG bunkering of the MV Glen Sannox since the ship was handed over to CalMac Ferries Limited last week, marking its entry into the United Kingdom.

“We would like to thank CalMac Ferries Limited and Ferguson Marine (Port Glasgow) Limited for their trust and long-term collaboration,” the firm said in a social media post.

“This project not only represents a significant step forward in the adoption of cleaner fuels in the maritime industry of the United Kingdom but also for the expansion of our Pan-European Supply Network for the Marine Segment to receive (bio)LNG via various supply assets across multiple countries and ports.”

Photo credit: Molgas Group
Published: 2 December, 2024