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Singapore start-up takes on challenge to cut production cost of methanol bunker fuel by half

Armed with its proprietary catalyst technology, CRecTech aims to solve maritime industry’s major hurdle of limited supply and high production cost of renewable methanol.

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Dr Lim Kang Hui, Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of CRecTech, shared with Singapore-based bunkering publication Manifold Times its progress since winning second place in PIER71 Smart Port Challenge 2023 and its drive to solving the low supply and high price tag of renewable methanol:

MT: Could you introduce to our readers the brains behind CRecTech and what they aspire to achieve in the maritime industry?

CRecTech was co-founded by me, as CEO, and Dr. Haw Kok Giap, as CTO. Both of us come from strong backgrounds in material science, catalysis, and chemical engineering research at the National University of Singapore. What unites us is a shared belief that the research we do should directly serve society. At CRecTech, we turn waste into worth, transforming agricultural and industrial biogas into renewable methanol that can power ships sustainably. Our aspiration is to make green fuels affordable and scalable, so the maritime industry can achieve its decarbonisation targets without compromising on cost or reliability.

MT: What is the CRecREF catalyst and how is it different from anything in the market to produce methanol?

The CRecREFTM catalyst is at the heart of our technology. Traditional biogas-to-methanol processes usually involve four separate steps, requiring high temperatures, complex equipment, and significant energy input. Our catalyst streamlines this into just two steps, directly converting two greenhouse gases, methane (CH4) and carbon dioxide (CO2), from waste biogas into methanol in a more efficient way. This breakthrough simplifies plant design, cuts production costs by up to 50%, making renewable methanol affordable. To our knowledge, no other catalyst system in the market achieves this degree of process intensification with such versatility and stability.

MT: How will the CRecREF catalyst help in solving one of maritime industry’s predicaments: limited supply of green methanol and making it more affordable? Do you think the technology will be the key to wide scale use of green methanol in the maritime industry?

By leveraging our catalytic technology, we can deploy decentralised, containerised units directly at waste biomass and biogas sources, whether it is at agricultural sites, landfills or animal farms, etc. Our units are expected to operate at relatively small scales that are nevertheless profitable with our process, whereas conventional methods would only be viable at much larger, centralised scales to capture economies of scale. As such, our technology eliminates costly feedstock transport, expands supply, and crucially unlocks waste streams that were previously uneconomical or technically impossible to convert into methanol, thereby opening up entirely new sources of affordable green methanol for the maritime industry.

MT: Since receiving a grant from Breakthrough Energy Fellows – a programme that rewards up to USD 500,000 in R&D funding in 2023, what has been the progress on the company’s methanol initiative and what are the company’s plans for the rest of the year and next year? 

The Breakthrough Energy Fellows – Southeast Asia programme, which we joined in 2024, has enabled us to scale our technology more than 1,000 times beyond lab systems while de-risking the scale-up process. It has also positioned us to engage strategic partners, including regional biomass players and shipping companies such as Hudson Shipping Lines, to advance green methanol adoption. For the rest of this year, we are focused on finalising engineering designs and preparing for our first pilot deployment in Malaysia or Indonesia with local waste biomass/biogas producer. Looking ahead to next year, our goal is to commission a containerised pilot demonstration unit capable of producing up to 1,000 metric tonnes (mt) per year, paving the way for commercial adoption by 2028.

MT: How has PIER71TM support CRecTech? 

PIER71TM has been one of our earliest and strongest champions. Through the Smart Port Challenge in 2023, we gained access to maritime mentors, veterans, and shipping companies, which was invaluable for refining our business model and testing our assumptions against real market needs. PIER71TM, and MPA, also gave us visibility within Singapore’s maritime innovation ecosystem and connections to corporates and regulators critical for scaling green fuel solutions. As a Smart Port Challenge finalist, we continue to benefit from incubation support, co-working space, and close interactions with fellow innovators driving maritime decarbonisation.

Related: PIER71 event showcases Singapore maritime digitalisation, decarbonisation solution startups

Note: PIER71™ Great Circle 2025, which will include the Grand Finals of the Smart Port Challenge, will be held on 5 November. Details and registration can be found here. 

 

Photo credit: CRecTech
Published: 22 October, 2025

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Western Baltic Engineering unveils green methanol bunkering vessel design for Klaipėda

Designed for flexible operations in shallow waters and local bunkering routes, the concept features an 800-metric-tonne green methanol capacity and the potential to supply up to 250,000 mt annually.

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July 20, 2026

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Western Baltic Engineering unveils green methanol bunkering vessel design for Klaipėda

Ship design and engineering service provider Western Baltic Engineering on Thursday (16 July) showcased its latest concept design for a green methanol bunkering vessel, developed for the operational needs of the Port of Klaipėda.

Designed for flexible operations in shallow waters and local bunkering routes, the concept features an 800-metric-tonne green methanol capacity and the potential to supply up to 250,000 metric tonnes (mt) annually. 

“It is Western Baltic Engineering’s first concept dedicated exclusively to green methanol bunkering, expanding our portfolio of alternative-fuel vessel solutions,” the company said in a social media post.

“Building on our experience in methanol-ready vessel design, it reflects our continued focus on enabling the industry’s transition to cleaner fuels.”

“As the maritime sector evolves, engineering companies have a responsibility not only to respond to market needs but also to anticipate future challenges,” said Marius Arkusauskas, Director at Western Baltic Engineering.

“By exploring emerging technologies and alternative fuel applications, we help our partners prepare for the next generation of maritime operations while contributing to a more sustainable future.”

 

Photo credit: Western Baltic Engineering
Published: 20 July, 2026

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China launches methanol shipping supply chain alliance to accelerate green transition

Marine fuel suppliers in the alliance include Sinopec Fuel Oil Sales, China Marine Bunker (PetroChina), SIPG Energy (Shanghai), and Shenzhen Port Energy Development.
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July 17, 2026

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China Waterborne Transport Research Institute under the Ministry of Transport and China Transport News recently jointly launched a Methanol Fuel Shipping Supply Chain Innovation Alliance with 20 organisations spanning the shipping, port, energy, equipment, research and industry association sectors.

The alliance was officially announced during the main event of China Maritime Day 2026 on 11 July, where members also released a joint initiative to develop a collaborative methanol-fuelled shipping supply chain.

The alliance aims to implement China’s national strategy for green economic transformation and support the Ministry of Transport’s “One Network, Four Modernisations” initiative by building a safe, efficient, economical and reliable methanol marine fuel supply chain

Under the joint initiative, alliance members pledged to align with China’s national decarbonisation strategy by promoting methanol as a key pathway for the shipping sector’s green transition and optimising the industry’s energy mix.

The members also pledged to strengthen collaboration across the supply chain to improve coordination between bunker fuel production, transportation and end users while advancing technological innovation.

Lastly, the alliance will support the development of policies, planning and technical standards, promote resource sharing and joint research, and accelerate the large-scale adoption of methanol as a marine fuel.

The alliance brings together companies and organisations representing the entire methanol shipping supply chain.

Members include shipping and port members such as China Changjiang National Shipping (Group) Corporation, COSCO Shipping Bulk Co., Ltd., Shandong Port Group, and Wuhan Chuangxin Jianghai Shipping Co., Ltd.

Energy companies in the alliance include Sinopec Chemical Commercial Holding Company Limited and Methanex Corporation.

Marine fuel suppliers including Sinopec Fuel Oil Sales, China Marine Bunker (PetroChina), SIPG Energy (Shanghai) Co Ltd and Shenzhen Port Energy Development Co Ltd are also part of the alliance. 

Equipment manufacturers in the alliance are CSSC 711th Research Institute, CSSC Power (Group) Corporation Ltd and Chongqing Hongjiang Machinery Co Ltd.

Research, media and industry organisations participating in the alliance include the China Waterborne Transport Research Institute, China Transport News, and the Methanol Institute.

The Methanol Institute said methanol is moving beyond individual projects towards coordinated action across the entire value chain. 

“And China continues to play a leading role in advancing methanol as a marine fuel,” it said in a social media post.  

“We’re proud to work alongside our fellow alliance members to help strengthen the methanol supply chain and support the continued growth of methanol as a marine fuel.”

 

Photo credit: David Yu from Pixabay
Published: 17 July, 2026

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MTF releases new safety guidelines for methanol-fuelled ships

Recognising that methanol as a marine fuel remains at an early stage of adoption, the guidelines place particular emphasis on risk-based decision-making, continuous improvement and organisational agility.

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5 days ago

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July 17, 2026

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CHUTTERSNAP MT

The Maritime Technologies Forum (MTF) recently announced the publication of new guidelines to support companies in developing new Safety Management Systems (SMS) and strengthening existing SMS for ships using methanol as marine fuel.

As the maritime industry accelerates its decarbonisation efforts, low-carbon methanol has emerged as one of the most scalable alternative fuel options. 

Its liquid state under ambient conditions, compatibility with existing fuel infrastructure, and increasing industry adoption make methanol an attractive near-term solution. However, its toxicity, low flashpoint and invisible vapour and flame characteristics introduce new safety challenges for the maritime industry that require enhanced procedural controls and risk management measures for safe operations.

“Developed collaboratively by MTF members and industry stakeholders with expertise in methanol fuel technologies and the International Safety Management (ISM) Code, the guidelines provide methanol-specific recommendations across all functional areas of an SMS,” MTF said in a statement. 

Recognising that methanol as a marine fuel remains at an early stage of adoption, the guidelines place particular emphasis on risk-based decision-making, continuous improvement and organisational agility. 

The guidelines emphasised the importance of learning from hazardous occurrences, near-misses and accidents involving methanol fuel.

The report also highlighted the importance of developing versatile SMS frameworks capable of supporting mixed-fuel operations during the transition period, where both conventional fuels and methanol may be carried and used onboard.

Human factors are identified as a critical element in ensuring safe methanol operations. The guidelines recommend that companies assess competency, training, familiarisation and resource requirements based on individual roles and responsibilities.

By providing clear, practical recommendations aligned with the ISM Code, the new MTF guidelines aim to support the safe and effective adoption of methanol as fuel while enabling the maritime industry’s transition towards lower-carbon shipping.

Note: The new guidelines can be viewed here.

 

Photo credit: CHUTTERSNAP on Unsplash
Published: 17 July, 2026

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