Stolt Tankers on Tuesday (31 January) said it was part of a team that conducted the first-ever ship-to-ship methanol bunkering on a non-tanker vessel, a milestone in the transition to alternative bunker fuels.
Bunkering took place in the Port of Gothenburg on January 23, on Stena Line’s methanol-propelled roll-on/roll-off and passenger vessel Stena Germanica. The ship became the world’s first methanol-powered ferry in 2015 and, until now, it has been bunkered from trucks.
Stolt Tankers’ Stolt Sandpiper (operated as part of the E&S Tankers pool) was on hand to safely complete the ship-to-ship bunkering, which represents a significant step in the journey towards methanol becoming a viable greener fuel alternative for ships.
The successful bunkering was a collaborative effort between the Port of Gothenburg, which was the first in the world to publish operating regulations for methanol bunkering in April 2022; Stena Line, the owner of the vessel and the purchaser of the methanol; methanol producer and supplier Methanex; and Stolt Tankers, which carried out the bunkering itself.
Lucas Vos, President of Stolt Tankers, said: “Stolt Tankers is delighted to have taken part in this world-first for methanol bunkering. We are committed to our own journey towards carbon neutrality and to working with industry partners to explore ways to decarbonise the maritime sector as a whole. This project shows that, through collaboration and innovation, we can make real progress towards a more sustainable future for the industry.”
Photo credit: Stolt Tankers
Published: 31 January, 2023
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