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Survitec: More needs to be done for fire safety guidelines of methanol-fuelled ships

Survitec highlighted that a particular issue of concern is that international guidelines do not provide clear test protocols for alcohol-based fires.

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Survitec: More needs to be done for fire safety guidelines of methanol-fuelled ships

Global Survival Technology solutions provider Survitec on Wednesday (4 September) has welcomed new guidance from classification society DNV on the fire safety arrangements for methanol-fuelled vessels but advises that more work is required before ships running on methanol can be completely fire-safe.

Findings from a Survitec study carried out earlier this year and published in the white paper Do we need new fire safety standards for methanol?, distributed to industry for the first time at the SMM trade fair in Hamburg, Germany, confirmed existing fire-fighting methods are insufficient for methanol.

“Current water mist-based Local Application Firefighting (LAFF) arrangements, for example, had no effect on a methanol fire even after five minutes of continuous operation,” said Michał Sadzyński, Product Manager, Water Mist Systems, Survitec. “

The safety study conducted by Survitec found two factors were key to putting out a methanol engine room fire: the volume of water released under pressure and the discharge pattern of the water. This required adjustments to the water pump supply and the water mist nozzle’s spacing and placement height to achieve the right coverage to completely extinguish the fire.

“While the LAFF system is a localised first-response system that focuses on the most likely source of a fire, generally the engine, a gas-based Total Flooding solution – CO2 or Survitec 1230 Clean Agent – will also be required to cover the entirety of the machinery space,” said Sadzyński.

The firefighting foam typically used to extinguish bilge hydrocarbon fires was also found to be inadequate, even alcohol-resistant foams using conventional nozzles and water:foam ratios, leading Survitec to develop new nozzles and attachments. 

These nozzle adaptors aspirate the foam, allowing it to expand within the space and to extinguish methanol, diesel, heptane and lubrication oil fires. Trials of the new nozzle also confirmed that fluorine-free alcohol-resistant foam was just as effective with the new adaptor for methanol fires as standard AFFF alcohol-resistant foams.

Maciej Nieścioruk, Product Manager, Foam and Clean Agent Systems, Survitec, said: “DNV-RU-SHIP Pt.6  provides additional guidance on the Total Flooding, Bilge Foam and Local Fire Fighting requirements for engines running on methanol. This helps clarify international guidelines under IMO’s MSC.1/Circ.1621, which many ship operators have found confusing. However, we still believe more needs to be done.”

A particular issue of concern is that international guidelines do not provide clear test protocols for alcohol-based fires. These are required, says Survitec, because the firefighting systems, foams and nozzle configurations used for hydrocarbon fires are ineffective in extinguishing alcohol-based fuel fires. As a result, system arrangements must be adapted to work for methanol fire, with system performance then tested and verified in the lab.

“Local Application Firefighting systems are not covered at all in the IMO rules, and there is no mention of any fire safety adjustments being required for the safe use of methanol (CH3OH) as a marine fuel, although some classification societies like DNV, are starting to specify additional requirements,” Nieścioruk said.

“In practice, this means that firefighting measures for methanol will largely be based on those that exist for hydrocarbon fuels, which we now know will not put out a methanol fire,” he said.

The tests carried out at the RISE Fire Research Laboratory, Trondheim, Norway, one of the world’s largest research organisations on fire, showed that for Category A Machinery Spaces, three separate systems are required to protect the ship and crew from methanol-fuelled engine fires.

The Survitec fire safety team has since been working to raise awareness of the key challenges surrounding methanol fire safety and share their findings from the safety study. They are already discussing with other class societies and shipyards how to develop comprehensive requirements covering all vessel types.

“We encourage all stakeholders to come together to address methanol’s unique fire risks and create clear standards, new testing protocols and updated safety rules for methanol to ensure we keep our vessels – and most importantly – our crews, safe”, says Sadzyński.

Note: The Survitec White Paper ‘Do we need new safety standards for methanol?’ can be downloaded here.

 

Photo credit: Survitec
Published: 6 September, 2024

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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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July 17, 2026

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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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