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Proman Stena Bulk names methanol-fuelled tanker “Stena Pro Marine” in New Orleans

Naming ceremony was the first for a methanol-fuelled vessel in the Port of New Orleans, and in the wider US Gulf Coast region; ship consumes 12,500 tonnes of methanol bunker fuel annually.

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Proman Stena Bulk, the joint venture between leading tanker company Stena Bulk and the leading methanol producer Proman, on Wednesday (25 October) said it has formally christened its methanol-fuelled 49,900 DWT tanker Stena Pro Marine

The ceremony took place at the Port of New Orleans on 24 October, and marked another significant milestone for the methanol-fuelled joint venture fleet.

The naming ceremony was the first for a methanol-fuelled vessel in the Port of New Orleans, and in the wider US Gulf Coast region.

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David Cassidy, Chief Executive of Proman, said: “Stena Pro Marine has already proven to be a significant addition to our fleet since its delivery in the middle of last year.”

“Given the region’s importance to global energy supplies, we are thrilled to name this vessel in New Orleans, and this event provides us with a wonderful opportunity to gather with partners, friends, and industry leaders and reaffirm our commitment to supporting and enabling a sustainable shipping industry.”

Erik Hånell, President and CEO of Stena Bulk, added: “The naming ceremony for Stena Pro Marine comes as yet another marker on our shared journey with Proman to prove the viability of methanol as a marine fuel. By gathering in New Orleans, a key hub on the US Gulf Coast, we show to US and global shipping that methanol is technically feasible as a marine fuel today. We look forward to furthering our collective vision for methanol within the maritime industry.”

The city was chosen for the naming ceremony because of its strategic position on the US Gulf Coast. New Orleans was the natural choice for the ceremony, reflecting the importance of the port city to the JV partners, the firm added.

Stena Bulk has a long-standing presence in the US and in Houston. Proman has significant methanol storage and transport operations along the Mississippi River, as well as production facilities in development in Lake Charles, Louisiana, and methanol plants in Pampa and Beaumont, Texas.

Attendees of the naming ceremony were addressed by David Cassidy, Proman’s Chief Executive, and Erik Hånell, President & CEO of Stena Bulk. The ceremony concluded with a customary champagne christening, during which Mrs. Katarina Hånell was honoured as the vessel’s godmother.

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Delivered in mid-2022, Stena Pro Marine is a 49,990 DWT dual-fuel mid-range (MR) tanker. The vessel was constructed at Guangzhou Shipyard International Co Ltd (GSI) in China. The ship has been in full-time operation since its delivery and consumes 12,500 tonnes of methanol annually.

Given the Port of New Orleans’ standing as a leading US cruise port, and close proximity to the city, the ceremony also offered an opportunity to highlight the potential to substantially mitigate local air pollution, offering a technology-proven and sustainable solution for the high volume of cruise and cargo traffic.

These reductions mean that the Proman Stena Bulk vessels are able to meet both long-term decarbonisation ambitions with near-term local pollutant reduction, directly benefitting communities such as those living and working around the Port of New Orleans.

The large volume of methanol storage and production facilities in the Houston and Louisiana region also offer access to storage, and substantial volumes of methanol; underscoring the opportunity for the region to become a major methanol as a marine fuel hub.

Earlier this year, Proman Stena Bulk successfully completed the first ever barge-to-ship methanol bunkering on the US Gulf Coast, showcasing the practicality and relevance of methanol as a viable marine fuel option.

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

Photo credit: Proman
Published: 26 October, 2023

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Biofuel

NYK conducts first Japan bio bunker fuel trial on coal carrier for domestic power utility firm

Firm said it has started a biofuel test run on Noshiro Maru, operated by Tohoku Electric Power, marking the first time in Japan that a coal carrier has been used to test biofuel for a domestic power utility firm.

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NYK conducts first Japan bio bunker fuel trial on coal carrier for domestic power utility firm

Japanese shipping firm NYK on Monday (10 February) said it has started a biofuel test run on its coal carrier Noshiro Maru, which is operated by Tohoku Electric Power on 9 February.

This is the first time in Japan that a coal carrier has been used to test biofuel for a domestic power utility company. Mitsubishi Corporation Energy in the Keihin area facilitated the supply of biofuel for the vessel.

Biofuels are made from organic resources (biomass) of biological origin, such as agricultural residues and waste cooking oil, and are considered to produce virtually zero carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions when combusted.

“Since they can be used in heavy-oil-powered ship engines, which are common on large merchant ships, biofuels are considered a key means of reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the transition period from heavy oil to zero-emission fuels,” NYK said. 

“Using biofuel to reduce GHG emissions during sea navigation also contributes to reducing Scope 3 GHG emissions generated by transporting customers’ cargo.”

NYK added it will continue to focus on introducing biofuels and other next-generation fuels, and will contribute to reducing GHG emissions in our customers' supply chains while promoting decarbonisation in marine transport.

 

Photo credit: NYK
Published: 11 February, 2025

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Biofuel

IBIA welcomes IMO move to draft guidance change on carriage of bio bunker fuels

IBIA welcomed agreement by IMO’s Sub Committee on PPR 12 to draft Interim Guidance on the carriage of blends of biofuels and MARPOL Annex I cargoes by conventional bunker ships.

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The International Bunker Industry Association (IBIA) on Monday (10 February) said it submitted a document to IMO on the carriage of biofuels for supply to a ship for use as fuel oil on board that ship in November 2023.

This highlighted that as conventional bunker vessels were limited in carrying fuel oil of no more than 25% biofuel it presented a potential impediment to the global adoption of biofuels as fuel oil for ships and so to the ambition for the decarbonization of international shipping in the short term, as set out in the 2023 IMO GHG Strategy.

“IBIA therefore welcomes the agreement by IMO’s Sub Committee on Pollution Prevention and Response (PPR 12) to draft Interim Guidance on the carriage of blends of biofuels and MARPOL Annex I cargoes by conventional bunker ships,” it said on its website. 

The guidance allows conventional bunker ships certified for carriage of oil fuels under MARPOL Annex I to transport blends of not more than 30% by volume of biofuel, as long as all residues or tank washings are discharged ashore, unless the oil discharge monitoring equipment (ODME) is approved for the biofuel blend(s) being shipped. 

“The Interim Guidance is expected to be approved by IMO’s Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC 83) in April,” IBIA added. 

“IBIA’s membership represents stakeholders from across the global marine fuel value chain, and being able to draw on this technically strong and credible resource will, in its role of having consultative status to the IMO, mean that IBIA will continue to bring important matters to the attention of the wider IMO membership for due consideration.”

 

Photo credit: International Bunker Industry Association
Published: 11 February, 2025

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Alternative Fuels

Ammonia, methanol bunkering infrastructures among 39 projects to receive EU funding

Both projects aim to deploy a ship-to-ship bunkering system at the ports of Huelva and Algeciras respectively and include a 7500 m3 bunkering vessel each.

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Guillaume Périgois on Unsplash

Editor's Note [12 February 2025] : Article updated on CEPSA 

Two projects involving ammonia and methanol bunkering infrastructures in the ports of Huelva and Algeciras in Spain were among 39 projects to receive funding under the first cut-off deadline of 2024-2025 Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Facility (AFIF) of the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF), according to the European Commission recently. 

The first ammonia bunkering infrastructure will be in Algecirasa as part of the Andalusian Green Hydrogen Valley. The project aims to deploy a ship-to-ship ammonia bunkering system in the port of Algeciras. 

It includes a 7500 m3 ammonia bunkering vessel, an on-shore ship loading system and the piping infrastructure for the transport of ammonia from the production site to the loading dock.  

Meanwhile, the first methanol bunkering infrastructure will be in Huelva, also as part of the Andalusian Green Hydrogen Valley. The project aims to deploy a ship-to-ship methanol bunkering system in the port of Algeciras. 

It includes a 7500 m3 methanol bunkering vessel, an on shore ship loading system and the piping infrastructure for the transport of methanol from the production site to the loading dock.

The coordinator for both bunkering projects is Spanish bunker fuel supplier CEPSA, which has been renamed to Moeve in October last year. 

The European Commission said the EU is allocating nearly EUR 422 million to the 39 projects that will deploy alternative fuels supply infrastructure along the trans-European transport network (TEN-T), contributing to decarbonisation. 

With this selection, the AFIF will support other projects including approximately 2,500 electric recharging points for light-duty vehicles and 2,400 for heavy-duty vehicles along the European TEN-T road network, 35 hydrogen refuelling stations for cars, trucks and buses, the electrification of ground handling services in eight airports and the greening of nine ports.

Following EU Member States’ approval of the selected projects on 4 February, the European Commission will adopt the award decision in the coming months, after which the results will become definitive. 

The European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency (CINEA) has started the preparation of the grant agreements with the beneficiaries of successful projects.

Note: The full list of successful projects can be viewed here.

 

Photo credit: Guillaume Périgois on Unsplash
Published: 11 February, 2025

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