Methanol

Pacific Basin Shipping orders four methanol dual-fuel ultramaxes from Japan

Firm has ordered four 64,000 dwt vessels from Nihon Shipyard, Imabari Shipbuilding and Mitsui & Co; also entered into a MoU with Mitsui & Co for volumes of green methanol for the vessels.

Published

7 months ago

November 29, 2024

Admin

Pacific Basin Shipping orders four methanol dual-fuel ultramaxes from Japan

Hong Kong-based dry bulk shipping company Pacific Basin Shipping Limited (Pacific Basin) on Thursday (28 November) announced it has ordered a total of four 64,000 dwt dual-fuel low-emission vessels (LEVs) capable of running on both green methanol as well as fuel oil.

Pacific Basin has also entered into a memorandum of understanding with Mitsui & Co.that will give the company access to volumes of green methanol that will enable the LEVs and, through emissions pooling, other conventionally-fuelled Pacific Basin vessels, to comply with and even benefit from coming FuelEU Maritime rules and expected IMO global greenhouse gas fuel standard rules.

Two of the four vessels are contracted jointly with Nihon Shipyard Co. and Imabari Shipbuilding Co., Ltd. for delivery in 2028 and 2029, and two are contracted with Mitsui & Co. for delivery in 2028 and 2029.

The vessels are all to be built to a design by Nihon Shipyard Co. that will be optimised for fuel economy with the newest and most efficient engines as well as extra upgrades to further enhance the vessels’ operational capabilities and safety features.

The LEVs’ dual-fuel engines make them capable of running on both conventional fuel oil and biofuel as well as green methanol which, when produced using sustainable feedstocks and renewable energy, will generate emissions that can be classified as “low carbon” or even “net zero” on a lifecycle basis.

Drawing on the collaborative work with its Japanese partners since May 2022, the company remains confident that green methanol is currently the most appropriate low-carbon marine fuel for its first generation of LEVs, but it will continue to reassess the benefits of different fuels as green fuel technology, safety, availability and pricing develops.

The firm is in dialogue with several green fuel suppliers and producers to develop its access to bio-methanol and e-methanol, as well as biodiesel.

Mr. Martin Fruergaard, CEO of Pacific Basin, said: “Ordering these vessels aligns with our longstanding

initiative to develop commercially viable and efficient dual-fuel low-emission vessels, and represents a major milestone in our long-term plan to transition to net zero emissions by 2050.”

“This move reconfirms our belief in our market going forward and in the business case for such LEVs, and it aligns with our sustainability goals, enhances our fleet’s ability to comply with increasing decarbonisation regulations, positions us at the forefront of innovation in our sector, and affords us several strategic early-mover benefits that will be important in the years ahead.

“With this newbuilding order, we are creating significant growth optionality for Pacific Basin, enabling growth through additional LEV newbuilding orders and/or long-term charters of newbuildings with purchase options, while maintaining discipline in our acquisition of high-quality modern second-hand Handysize, Supramax and Ultramax vessels to renew our fleet while selling older and less efficient Handysize vessels.”

Photo credit: Pacific Basin Shipping
Published: 29 November, 2024

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Newbuilding

NYK Group’s first methanol-fuelled bulk carrier “Green Future” delivered

Vessel is the first bulk carrier in the NYK Group to be equipped with a dual-fuel engine that uses methanol and fuel oil.

Published

23 hours ago

June 17, 2025

Admin

NYK Group on 13 May received delivery of Green Future, the company’s first methanol dual-fuel bulk carrier, at the TSUNEISHI Factory of TSUNEISHI SHIPBUILDING Co., Ltd. where a naming and delivery ceremony was also held, it said on Thursday (14 June).

The vessel will be chartered by NYK Bulk & Projects Carriers Ltd., an NYK Group company, from KAMBARA KISEN Co., Ltd.

It is the first bulk carrier in the NYK Group to be equipped with a dual-fuel engine that uses methanol and fuel oil.

“Methanol has a lower environmental impact than fuel oil, and by using bio-methanol and e-methanol produced using hydrogen derived from renewable energy sources and recovered carbon dioxide, the vessel achieves significant reductions in greenhouse gas emissions,” it said.

Vessel Particulars
LOA: 199.99 m
Breadth: 32.25 m
Depth: 19.15 m
Deadweight: approx. 65,700 metric tons
Capacity: approx. 81,500 m³
Draft: 13.8 m

Photo credit: NYK Group
Published: 17 June 2025

Research

Mærsk Mc-Kinney Møller Center shares concept design of 3,500 TEU ammonia-fuelled containership

Concept design was optimised to achieve the required safety level while also limiting reductions in cargo capacity.

Published

1 day ago

June 17, 2025

Admin

Mærsk Mc-Kinney Møller Center for Zero Carbon Shipping on Thursday (12 June) unveiled a report focusing on the concept design of a 3,500 Twenty-foot Equivalent Unit (TEU) ammonia-fuelled container vessel.

The study presents a detailed concept design of a 3,500 TEU container feeder, developed with a focus on ammonia system design principles.

The concept design was optimised to achieve the required safety level while also limiting reductions in cargo capacity. As a result, this design concept marks an advancement in technically qualifying ammonia as a viable maritime fuel.

“Although the concept design is an important first step in qualifying a fuel pathway, the final design and operational details must ultimately deliver a safe vessel,” it stated.

“We addressed this aspect early in our design process with reference to the technical safety barriers listed above. We confirmed the concept design’s ability to achieve an acceptable safety level through a HAZID, hazard and operability study (HAZOP), and QRA.

“These processes have resulted in two Approvals in Principle of the concept design awarded by ABS and Lloyd’s Register (LR).”

Note: The full report concept design of a 3,500 TEU ammonia-fuelled container vessel may be downloaded here.

Photo credit: Mærsk Mc-Kinney Møller Center for Zero Carbon Shipping
Published: 17 June 2025

Bunker Fuel

Singapore: Bunker sales volume raises to year record high of 4.88 million mt in May

Bio-blended variants of marine fuel oil jumped 671.7% to 40,900 mt when compared to figures seen in May 2024.

Published

2 days ago

June 16, 2025

Admin

Bunker fuel sales at Singapore port inched forward by 1.1% on year in May 2025, the highest volume seen in 2025, according to Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) data.

In total, 4.88 million metric tonnes (mt) (exact 4,878,100 mt) of various marine fuel grades were delivered at the world’s largest bunkering port in April, up from 4.83 million mt (4,826,800 mt) recorded during the similar month in 2024.

Deliveries of marine fuel oil, low sulphur fuel oil, ultra low sulphur fuel oil, marine gas oil and marine diesel oil in May (against on year) recorded respectively 1.89 million mt (+8.6% from 1.74 million mt), 2.45 million mt (-7.2% from 2.64 million mt), 1,200 mt (from zero), 1,700 mt (-88% from 14,300 mt) and zero (from zero).

SG bunker port performance May 2025

Bio-blended variants of marine fuel oil, low sulphur fuel oil, ultra low sulphur fuel oil, marine gas oil and marine diesel oil in May (against on year) recorded respectively 40,900 mt (+671.7% from 5,300 mt), 95,800 mt (+97.9% from 48,400 mt), 700 mt (from zero), zero (from zero) and zero (from 300 mt). B100 biofuel bunkers, introduced in February this year, recorded 1,900 mt of deliveries in May.

LNG and methanol sales were respectively 45,000 mt (-7.8% from 48,800) and zero (from 1,600 mt). There were no recorded sales of ammonia for the month and so far in 2025.

A complete series of articles on Singapore bunker volumes reported by Manifold Times tracked since 2018 can be found via the link here.

Photo credit: Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore
Published: 16 June 2025