Platts, part of S&P Global Commodity Insights, recently announced the launch of Shanghai low-carbon methanol marine fuel (MMF) assessments, the first in Asia, effective 2 May. 

Platts has also launched Rotterdam low-carbon methanol marine fuel assessment on May 2, adding to the depth and coverage of Platts alternative marine fuels markets.

The two new Shanghai low-carbon MMF assessments come six months after Platts debuted the first-ever in Asia, Singapore low-carbon methanol marine fuel price assessments.

Esther Ng, Platts Global Methanol Pricing Lead, S&P Global Commodity Insights, said: “We are pleased to announce the launch of Platts first-ever low-carbon methanol marine fuel assessments for China. Shanghai is the world’s busiest container port, and sustainable methanol has already been supplied and bunkered in the port.”

“These assessments aim to provide price transparency for shipowners as the maritime industry marches towards net zero in 2050. Similarly, the publication of Rotterdam low-carbon MMF assessments by Platts will offer the shipping and decarbonisation industries valuable price points to guide their trading and investment decisions.”

Olivier Maronneaud, Global Research Lead for Methanol and Plastic Circularity, S&P Global Commodity Insights, said: “Legislation supporting low carbon bunker fuel has been implemented in Europe and has achieved substantial progress at the global level with the latest IMO MEPC 83 meeting in April. Combined with initiatives from stakeholders including governments, port authorities and ship owners, liquidity for low carbon methanol as bunker fuel is anticipated to increase in the coming months and years.”

The International Maritime Organization’s Marine Environment Protection Committee in April voted to charge shipowners penalties for maritime greenhouse gas emissions starting from 2028. Just like FuelEU Maritime regulations, IMO’s proposed measures are wide-reaching as they will impact the cost of transporting fuel, chemicals, and consumer goods.

ShanghaiChina is estimated to have 200,000 mt/year of biomethanol and eMethanol capacity in 2025 and will have 1.5 million mt/year by 2028, according to data from S&P Global Commodity Insights Analytics.

The first Chinese molecules for spot trading are expected to be available in mid-2025, with the Shanghai port shaping up as a leading Chinese low-carbon methanol trading hub.

The Platts Shanghai low-carbon MMF assessments will aid shipowners, low-carbon methanol producers, bunker traders and investors with price transparency in an important and emerging production center of low-carbon methanol.

RotterdamThe Port of Rotterdam is Europe’s largest port and bunker hub. In 2022, it set up the Green and Digital Shipping Corridor with Singapore to reduce emissions from large container vessels on the 15,000-kilometer route by at least 20% by 2030, by enabling the use of low- and zero-carbon shipping fuels.

From January 2025 to 2029, under the FuelEU Maritime regulation, the shipping industry will need to deliver a 2% GHG intensity saving against the FuelEU Maritime fossil fuel comparator, with targets stepping up every five years to 80% GHG savings in 2050.

Platts’ publication of Rotterdam low-carbon MMF assessments will provide the maritime and low-carbon methanol industry useful price points for trading, procurement and investment decisions.

The assessments are as follows:

• Platts Low-carbon methanol FOB Shanghai
• Platts Low-carbon methanol marine fuel Delivered Shanghai
• Platts Low-carbon methanol marine fuel Delivered Rotterdam ($/mt)
• Platts Low-carbon methanol marine fuel Delivered Rotterdam (Euro/mt)

The assessments reflect market prices of the product with sustainability documentation stating a carbon intensity or an equivalent greenhouse gas saving when compared with the fossil fuel comparator, as per the prevailing Renewable Energy Directive.

Note: The subscriber note can be accessed here while a full description of the Platts assessment methodology can be found here.

Photo credit: Siyuan Hu on Unsplash
Published: 8 May, 2025

Shine Consultant, the organiser of Green ShipTech Innovation Asia Summit 2025, on Thursday (20 March) announced over 20 speakers have been confirmed for the event to discuss key green technology topics related to the shipping industry.

The speakers are key stakeholders in the shipping industry including transportation management departments, international shipping organisations and related industry associations, shipping companies, shipyards, repair yards, third-party ship management companies, ship equipment suppliers, high-tech solution providers, design research units, and research institutions.

With over 300 attendees expected to attend, the Green ShipTech Innovation Asia Summit 2025 will be held in Shanghai, China, on 16 May. 

Themed Diversified Innovation for Sustainable Green Transformation, the summit will set up a main forum called Green Development Strategies and Pioneer Practices Towards Zero Carbon Goals and two sub-forums, Green Shipbuilding and Retrofitting Forum and Green Shipping Ecosystem Cooperation Forum. 

It will focus on key topics such as innovative design methods for green ship types, development and design of methanol dual-fuel ship types, prospects and challenges of ammonia fuel application, and new marine fuels and supply systems. 

Speakers for the summit include:

• Sun Haihua, Deputy Director of Shanghai Arbitration Commission, Deputy Chairman and Secretary-General of Shanghai International Shipping Center Development and Promotion Organization
• Yan Wei, Vice President, Shanghai Maritime University
• Bo Cerup-Simonsen, CEO, Mærsk Mc-Kinney Møller Center for Zero Carbon Shipping
• Lu Yanhui, Vice President, COSCO Shipping Heavy Industry Co., Ltd
• Wu Jianyi, Chief Engineer & General Manager of the Ship Technology Center, China Merchants Energy Transportation Co., Ltd. (CMES)
• Karim Fahssis, Decarbonization China Head, Maersk
• Liu Jianfeng, Chief Technologist, Shanghai Waigaoqiao Shipbuilding Co., LTD.
• Keiichiro Nakanishi, Managing Executive Officer, MOL (Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Ltd.)
• Vivi Wong, Head of Digital Products, Greater China, MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company
• Li Zhonggang, Vice President, China Ship Design & Research Center Com.,Ltd. (CSDC)
• Zhang Qingsheng, General Manager of Shanghai Fujian Guohang Ocean Shipping Management Co., Ltd., President Assistant of Fujian Guohang Ocean Shipping (Group) Co.,Ltd.
• Bai Junli, Deputy Director of Innovation & Development Center, Wuchang Shipbuilding Industry Group Co., LTD.
• Tan Wee Meng, Chief Projects Officer, Global Centre for Maritime Decarbonisation
• John Kollander, General Manager Stena RoRo Asia & Owners Representative China, Stena RoRo
• Thibaut Raeis, Business & Technical Solutions Director, GTT China
• Li Zhengjian, Chief Expert/Senior Engineer, the Chinese Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers
• Yuan Chao, General Manager of Strategy and Investment, CSSC (Hong Kong) Shipping Company Limited
• Pan Jinfeng, General Manager of Digital Intelligence Promotion Department, COSCO Shipping (Qidong) Offshore Co., Ltd
• Zhu Feng, Head of the Ballast Water Convention Research Office, Hebei Maritime Safety Administration
• Gou Yingdi, Director of Sustainable Development and General Manager of the Technology and Development (Innovation) Center, Seacon Shipping Group
• Yang Lixin, Deputy Secretary-General, Shanghai International Shipping Center Development and Promotion Organization
• Zhao Cuiyun, Deputy Director of the Institute for the Construction of the Shipping Center and Director of the Green Shipping Research Office, Shanghai International Shipping Institute

Conference Framework

16 May (am)

Sub-Forum I: Green Development Strategies and Pioneer Practices Towards Zero Carbon Goals

16 May (pm)

Sub-Forum II: Green Shipbuilding and Retrofitting Forum
Sub-Forum III: Green Shipping Ecosystem Cooperation Forum

Key Topics

• Maritime regulatory focus under policy guidance towards zero-carbon goals
• Global green ship type product key technologies and applications
• Analysis of paths to improve the efficiency of existing ships
• How shipping companies can achieve sustainable green transformation
• Green ship technology practices and future prospects
• Innovative design methods for green ship types
• Development and design of methanol dual-fuel ship types
• Innovation and application of ship engines and propulsion systems
• Technological application and outlook of wind energy as auxiliary power for ships
• Prospects and challenges of ammonia fuel application
• Innovation in new marine fuels and supply systems
• Upgrading of ship battery systems to meet shipping emission reduction
• Fluid power energy-saving technology and practice to promote the green and low-carbon development of the shipping industry
• Green ship repair, intelligent painting and VOCs management in ship and marine engineering
• Exploration and practice in digital transformation and intelligent upgrading of the ship repair and modification industry
• Practice of ship energy consumption data analysis and carbon intensity management
• SCR technology innovation for NOx reduction in ship diesel engines
• The latest technological applications of “carbon capture” in the shipping industry
• Ballast water management systems in line with international standards
• Shore power systems combined with green electricity to assist shipping decarbonization
• Supply status and choice analysis of the marine green fuel market

Host:

• Shanghai International Shipping Center Development and Promotion Organization

Co-organisers:

• Shanghai Maritime University 
• Shanghai Institute of Navigation
• Jiangsu Association of Shipbuilding Industry
• Shanghai Association of Shipbuilding Industry
• Jiangsu Society of Naval Architects And Marine Engineers

Supporting Organisations:

• Shanghai Port Association
• Hubei Association of Shipbuilding Industry
• Shanghai International Shipping institute

Organizer:

• Shine Consultant International Ltd

Interested parties may contact:

Yulia Zhang
T: (+8621) 6095 7179
M:(+86) 158 3615 6079 (Also on WeChat）
E-mail: [email protected]  

Note: More information on the summit, including registration, can be found here. 

Photo credit: Shine Consultant
Published: 8 May, 2025

Latest figures from classification society DNV’s Alternative Fuels Insight (AFI) platform saw a total of 49 new orders for alternative-fuelled vessels were placed in April 2025.

This represents a 5% increase compared to last year, despite the backdrop of a decline in overall newbuild orders. 

Methanol and LNG saw similar numbers of new vessel orders in April, with 24 and 20 respectively. Methanol orders were concentrated in the container (14) and RoPax (9) segments, with one additional order in the tanker segment. Orders for LNG fuelled vessels were distributed across the container (16), cruise (2), and RoPax (2) segments. 

The concentration of orders in the container segment reflects ongoing activity from cargo operators, while the presence of orders across RoPax, cruise, and other segments points to a more diverse uptake of alternative fuels compared to previous months. 

Additionally, there were two new orders for hydrogen-fuelled vessels in the cruise segment, marking the first orders since June 2024. 

Jason Stefanatos, Global Decarbonization Director at DNV Maritime, said: “Methanol and LNG going head-to-head this month reflects how fuel choices are evolving. Methanol has rebounded quickly after a quieter start to the year, while LNG remains strong with uptake diversifying beyond the container segment.  

“Seeing LNG and methanol fuelled vessels ordered at similar levels shows how owners are weighing flexibility, fuel availability, and segment-specific needs when ordering.” 

“Continued strength in the alternative-fuelled vessel market stands out, even amid a broader slowdown in newbuild activity.”

Photo credit: DNV
Published: 6 May, 2025