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Alternative Fuels

Proman Stena Bulk completes US Gulf Coast’s first barge-to-ship methanol bunkering

“Stena Pro Marine” and “Stena Prosperous” were supplied with methanol bunker fuel via barge while discharging clean petroleum products at a terminal in the Port of Houston earlier in April.

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Proman Stena Bulk, the joint venture between leading tanker company Stena Bulk and the leading methanol producer Proman, on Friday (21 April) announced the successful completion of the first ever barge-to-ship methanol bunkering on the US Gulf Coast.

The JV tankers Stena Pro Marine and Stena Prosperous were refuelled with methanol via barge while discharging clean petroleum products at a terminal in the Port of Houston in the first week of April.

Stena Pro Marine was bunkered with 1,408MT of methanol, and Stena Prosperous was refuelled with 1,203MT during the operation. Both ships were time-chartered to a global trading house at the time of the refuelling.

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The barge bunkering operation was conducted jointly with Kirby Corporation, the largest tanker barge provider in the United States. The ability to refuel both vessels with methanol whilst they were alongside demonstrates the ease and minimal infrastructure requirements associated with methanol as a marine fuel, as well as its widespread availability.

Anita Gajadhar, Executive Director, Marketing, Logistics and Shipping, Proman, said:“Completing the first barge-to-ship methanol bunkering on the US Gulf Coast is a tremendous achievement for the Proman Stena Bulk joint venture. The Port of Houston is a major global cargo hub with significant latent methanol storage capacity. These qualities made it a natural testbed for our first US ship-to-ship bunkering. 

“Proman Stena Bulk continues to work with partners across the supply chain to develop methanol bunkering facilities worldwide and at key strategic bunker hubs. Announcements like today’s continue to prove the viability of the methanol marine fuel supply chain.”

“Kirby was pleased to be the service provider for this job,” Kirby Marine Group President, Christian O’Neil, said. 

“It was a natural for us: We have extensive expertise with methanol as a cargo, with conventional bunkering, and with barge-to-ship lightering of all manner of products.  We are committed to remaining a leader in energy transportation, regardless of the form that energy takes.  We look forward to doing this again and again in Houston and beyond.”

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The news of the first US Gulf methanol barge-to-ship bunkering comes ahead of the naming ceremony for Stena Promise in the Port of Rotterdam. Rotterdam was the site of Proman Stena Bulk’s first barge-to-ship methanol bunkering, in August 2022, when Stena Pro Patria took on the fuel during a regularly scheduled port call.  

 

Photo credit: Proman
Published: 24 April, 2023

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Biofuel

NYK to launch Japan’s first antioxidant for biodiesel bunker fuel in August

When added to biofuel, BioxiGuard slows progression of oxidative degradation and helps deter issues such as metal corrosion, strainer blockage, and cleaning-system fouling often triggered by oxidised fuel.

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Japan’s first antioxidant by NYK for biodiesel bunker fuel set to release in August

Nippon Yuka Kogyo (Nippon Yuka), an NYK Group company specialising in chemical R&D as well as the manufacture and sale of chemical products, on Wednesday (21 May) announced the upcoming release of BioxiGuard, the Japan’s first antioxidant specially developed for marine biodiesel, from 10 August.

NYK said compared with conventional petroleum-based fuels, biofuel contains a higher proportion of unsaturated fatty acids, making it more susceptible to oxidative degradation. Once oxidised, the biofuel can produce acidic substances and sludge, adversely affecting vessel fuel efficiency by reducing the fuel’s calorific value.

Developed by Nippon Yuka based on property analyses of the biofuel used in NYK-operated vessels, BioxiGuard is specifically formulated to enhance the oxidation stability of biodiesel. When added to biofuel, BioxiGuard slows the progression of oxidative degradation and helps deter issues such as metal corrosion, strainer blockage, and cleaning-system fouling often triggered by oxidised fuel.

According to laboratory tests conducted by Nippon Yuka researchers, the addition of BioxiGuard at a concentration of 1 part per 500 resulted in an approximate 50% reduction in the rate of biofuel degradation compared to untreated biofuel. 

This significant improvement underscores the potential for vessel operators to not only extend the useful life of biofuel on board but also maintain more stable and cost-effective vessel operations.

 

Photo credit: NYK
Published: 22 May, 2025

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Newbuilding

Höegh Autoliners latest LNG dual-fuel PCTC en route to Shanghai for bunkering

The 9,100 CEU “Höegh Sunrise”, currently sailing the seas, is on its way to Shanghai for bunkering before sailing to Japan and then towards Europe.

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Höegh Autoliners latest LNG dual-fuel PCTC en route to Shanghai for bunkering

Höegh Autoliners on Tuesday (20 May) said its latest liquefied natural gas (LNG) dual-fuel pure car and truck carrier has departed China Merchants Heavy Industry’s yard, ready to commence its commercial operations.

The 9,100 CEU Höegh Sunrise, currently sailing the seas, is on its way to Shanghai for bunkering before sailing to Japan and then towards Europe. 

The PCTC is the fifth in a series of 12 Aurora Class vessels built by the shipyard in China. The first eight Auroras are or will be equipped with engines primed to run on LNG and low-sulphur oil. 

These vessels can be converted to run on ammonia later. By 2027, Höegh Autoliners said the four last vessels of the series will be able to run net zero on ammonia directly from the yard when delivered.

Manifold Times previously reported the naming ceremony of Höegh Autoliner’s fourth Aurora Class newbuild, Höegh Sunlight, at Taicang Haitong Auto Terminal.

Related: Höegh Autoliners names LNG-powered RoRo ship “Höegh Sunlight” in China|
Related: Gasum completes SIMOPS LNG bunkering operation of PCTC “Höegh Sunlight”

 

Photo credit: Höegh Autoliners
Published: 22 May, 2025

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Alternative Fuels

UECC: Liquefied biomethane bunker fuel to enable compliance surplus under FuelEU

Company says bunkering liquefied biomethane will give it a significant compliance surplus under FuelEU that can be monetised through the regulation’s pooling mechanism.

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UECC: Liquefied biomethane bunker fuel to enable compliance surplus under FuelEU

United European Car Carriers (UECC) on Monday (19 May) said bunkering liquefied biomethane (LBM), also known as bio-LNG, will give it a significant compliance surplus under FuelEU that can be monetised through the regulation’s pooling mechanism.

UECC’s Senior Manager of Business Planning & Sustainability, Masanori Nagashima, said bio-LNG is now seen by the company as the key fuel to achieve its target of a 45% reduction in carbon intensity by 2030 versus a 2014 baseline and net zero by 2040 – ahead of the 2050 deadline set by both the IMO and EU.

The marine fuel is being bunkered on UECC’s dual and multi-fuel LNG PCTCs – three of which have battery hybrid capability – under Sail for Change that was launched by UECC last year and currently has participation by automotive giants including Toyota, Ford and JLR. 

The company also has on order two multi-fuel LNG battery hybrid newbuild PCTCs due for delivery in 2028 that could be enlisted into the programme. 

The overall carbon intensity of the UECC fleet, using the same gCO2e/MJ (grams of CO2 equivalent per megajoule) metric as FuelEU, is calculated at 68 gCO2e/MJ to achieve an interim target of a 25% carbon intensity reduction in 2025, though the company is expected to achieve 57 gCO2e/MJ this year based on its supply plan, according to Nagashima.

This is significantly below the current FuelEU threshold of 89.3 gCO2e/MJ – a 2% reduction from the baseline of 91.16 gCO2e/MJ – and still lower than the threshold of 77.9 gCO2e/MJ from 2035 that is a 14.5% reduction versus the baseline figure.

“The low carbon intensity of our fleet means all of our vessels are expected to gain a C rating or above with the IMO’s Carbon Intensity Indicator (CII)” Nagashima explained.

“It also gives us a significant compliance surplus under FuelEU that can be monetised through the regulation’s pooling mechanism, allowing a great commercial opportunity to offset regulatory costs for customers and eliminate FuelEU surcharges.”

“UECC will continue to accelerate its progress in improving decarbonisation of its fleet by further optimising our fuel mix strategy going forward to incorporate more high-impact fuels as these become viable.”

 

Photo credit: Titan Clean Fuels
Published: 22 May, 2025

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