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UZMAR Shipyard, Robert Allan Ltd sign methanol-fuelled tugboat design agreement

Exclusive to UZMAR, these new designs represent a new generation of lower emission tugs that the company’s clients are demanding to meet CO2 reduction targets.

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UZMAR Shipyard signed an agreement with Robert Allan Ltd to design and build a new series of methanol-fuelled tugboats on Thursday (28 April). 

The agreement was signed for four new designs between UZMAR CEO Mr. Ahmet Noyan Altuğ and Robert Allan Ltd CEO Mr. Mike Fitzpatrick over a video call. 

These new designs, exclusive to UZMAR, represent a new generation of lower emission tugs that our owner clients are demanding to meet CO2 reduction targets. 

The name of the methanol-powered tugboat series will be unveiled soon by UZMAR and Robert Allan Ltd.

The new series will have improved energy efficiency and will be able to generate a significant amount of annual CO2 emissions savings. 

They will have LOA between 26 meters to 32 meters and include one tractor tug design.

“It is an exciting step forward for us to sign these new design contracts with UZMAR. The close cooperation between RAL and UZMAR that has developed over more than 25 years of working together facilitates the efficient transfer of knowledge between our engineering teams. I am confident that we will successfully execute these milestone projects as we have done many times together in the past,” said Fitzpatrick. 

“According to our research that has been ongoing for more than five years, our team believes that within the alternative fuels to fossil fuels, the most applicable and efficient choice for tugboats is methanol. With our long-standing camaraderie and mutual understanding with RAL, we always overcame challenging projects with great success,” said Altug. 

“Signing contracts for this new methanol-powered design series exclusive to UZMAR is a step toward a new era for all of us. We aim to start building the tugs in the last quarter of 2022, and we will reveal the specifications in the following days.” 

UZMAR is planning to replace all the tugboats in its fleet with eco-friendly newbuilds and offer the global market a solution for their needs for sustainable lower emission vessels. 

 

Photo credit: UZMAR Shipyard
Published: 5 May, 2022

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Methanol

China: Chimbusco completes bunkering op with domestically produced green methanol

Chimbusco delivered 1,000 mt of domestically produced green methanol bunker fuel to “COSCO Shipping Yangpu”, China’s first 16,000 TEU methanol dual-fuel container ship, from 11 to 12 July.

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China: Chimbusco completes bunkering op with domestically produced green methanol

China Marine Bunker (PetroChina) Co Ltd (Chimbusco) on Monday (14 July) said it successfully completed a green methanol bunkering operation for COSCO Shipping’s first methanol-dual-fuel container vessel at Shengdong Terminal in Yangshan Port. 

Chimbusco delivered 1,000 metric tonnes (mt) of domestically produced green methanol fuel to COSCO Shipping Yangpu from 11 to 12 July. 

COSCO Shipping Yangpu is the first methanol-dual-fuel container vessel invested and built by COSCO Shipping Group. The company previously deemed the vessel China’s first 16,000 TEU methanol dual-fuel container ship. 

 With an overall length of 366 meters and a beam of 51 metres, it has a maximum container capacity of 16,136 TEUs. 

The vessel employs an advanced dual-fuel propulsion system that enables flexible switching between methanol and traditional fuels. When using green methanol as fuel, it significantly reduces carbon emissions and pollutant discharges during operations, injecting strong impetus into the green transformation of China’s shipping industry.

“This green methanol bunkering operation, jointly completed by COSCO Shipping Lines, CHIMBUSCO, and SIPG Energy Shanghai, represents another proactive exploration by CHIMBUSCO in the field of green methanol bunkering at Shanghai Port,” Chimbusco said.

“It also marks another significant step by COSCO Shipping Group in advancing the green and low-carbon transformation of the shipping industry and integrating the entire methanol supply chain.”

“As a leading domestic marine fuel supplier, CHIMBUSCO actively responded to shipowners’ demand for green methanol bunkering and worked closely with COSCO Shipping Lines, SIPG Energy Shanghai and other entities to develop a detailed supply plan and emergency response plan in advance, in accordance with relevant bunkering standards for marine methanol fuel.”

Manifold Times previously reported Chimbusco completing a methanol bunkering operation of the same vessel in Shanghai on 11 May. 

COSCO SHIPPING YANGPU was supplied approximately 900 mt of methanol marine fuel by Chimbusco at Pier 1 of COSCO Shipping Heavy Industry. 

Related: Chimbusco completes bunkering op of China’s first 16,000K TEU methanol DF boxship
Related: COSCO Shipping names China’s first 16,000 TEU methanol dual-fuel container ship

 

Photo credit: Chimbusco Dalian
Published: 17 July 2025

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Methanol

Shanghai Electric starts producing first batch green methanol bunker fuel with new plant

New batch of green methanol will soon arrive at Shanghai Port and be delivered to CMA CGM to enter the international market as a marine fuel.

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Shanghai Electric starts producing first batch green methanol bunker fuel with new plant

Shanghai Electric on Thursday (17 July) announced its Jilin Taonan Green Methanol Project, China’s first facility to fully integrate wind-to-hydrogen with biomass gasification, is now producing its first batch of ISCC-EU certified green methanol.

This batch of green methanol will soon arrive at Shanghai Port and be delivered to CMA CGM to enter the international market as a marine fuel.

The company said the milestone event marked a major national breakthrough in the field of green hydrogen-based fuels. 

Shanghai Electric will use this project as a catalyst to build a world-leading, full-industry-chain platform for green fuels, to accelerate the development of an integrated industrial ecosystem encompassing green energy, green hydrogen, green methanol and green applications.

The company will continuously improve new energy power generation, water electrolysis for hydrogen production, biomass gasification, carbon capture, green ammonia, and to promote the large-scale application of green fuels in shipping, aviation, chemical industry and other fields.

At a ceremony, Cai Dong, member of the Standing Committee of the Jilin Provincial Party Committee and Executive Vice Governor, launched the start of production of the fuel. 

As the first large-scale commercial green methanol project in China, the Taonan project has an annual production capacity of 50,000 metric tonnes in the first phase.

“It is the first green methanol project in China to pass the EU ISCC full-process certification and to market to the international market,” the company said. 

 

Photo credit: Shanghai Electric
Published: 17 July 2025

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Ammonia

Bureau Veritas to classify world’s first 5,000 m3 ammonia bunkering vessel

‘We’re proud to support this first-of-its-kind ammonia bunkering vessel, which represents real progress toward scaling up the infrastructure for zero-carbon fuels,’ says Matthieu de Tugny of BV Marine & Offshore.

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Bureau Veritas to classify world’s first 5,000 m3 ammonia bunkering vessel

Classification society Bureau Veritas (BV) on Monday (14 July) announced that its Marine and Offshore division will classify the world’s first 5,000 cubic metre (m3) ammonia bunkering vessel.

The vessel will be built by Sasaki Shipbuilding (Sasaki) and expected to be delivered around September 2027. 

“The project marks a significant step forward in establishing the infrastructure required to support ammonia as a next-generation marine fuel,” BV said on its website. 

The vessel will be classed in accordance with Bureau Veritas’ rigorous standards for safety, sustainability, and innovation, including NR 620 – Rules for Bunkering Ships, and NR 467 – Rules for the Classification of Steel Ships. 

The vessel will also be eligible for SW-Registry and CYBER RESILIENT additional class notations, underscoring its data security protection credentials and in compliance with IACS UR E26 & UR E27.

“This groundbreaking project builds on the long-term collaboration between Bureau Veritas and Sasaki in supporting the development and adoption of new fuels, such as ammonia, as part of our shared mission to drive environmental stewardship and innovation across the maritime industry,” BV added.

Matthieu de Tugny, Executive Vice President of Bureau Veritas Marine & Offshore, said: “Our long-standing relationship with Sasaki is built on shared ambition for safe, sustainable innovation in shipbuilding. We’re proud to support this first-of-its-kind ammonia bunkering vessel, which represents real progress toward scaling up the infrastructure for zero-carbon fuels.”

Manifold Times previously reported ITOCHU Corporation signing a shipbuilding contract for the construction of a 5,000 m3 ammonia bunkering vessel with Sasaki Shipbuilding.

The contract was one of the agreements that were concluded to pursue the Demonstration Project for Bunkering Ammonia as Marine Fuel in Singapore adopted by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry in Japan as part of the Global South Future-oriented Co-Creation Project (large-scale demonstration in ASEAN member states). 

The vessel will be flagged under the Singapore Registry.

Related: ITOCHU orders world’s first ammonia bunkering vessel for Singapore demonstration project

 

Photo credit: Bureau Veritas
Published: 17 July 2025

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