Singapore Shipper Claims Milestone With Bio-methanol Refuelling May 27, 2024

Singapore ship reaches milestone with bioethanol refueling

By AFP - Agence France Presse

A Singapore shipping company on Monday carried out what it called the world's first simultaneous refueling of a container ship with bio-methanol while it was being loaded with cargo in port.

Simultaneous loading and refueling speed up a ship's turnaround time, according to Shmuel Yoskovitz, chief executive of Singapore-based X-Press Feeders.

With the extra time, the ship can sail at a slower pace, reducing fuel use and resulting in lower costs and emissions, he added.

Global maritime transport is responsible for 2.89% of total greenhouse gas emissions, according to data from the International Maritime Organization. On a global scale, it is more polluting than air transport.

“This milestone represents a significant step forward for X-Press Feeders and the global maritime sector,” said Francis Goh, the company's chief operating officer.

He told reporters that, as far as they know, this was the first simultaneous port refueling with green methanol.

Green methanol, or bio-methanol, is made up of residual carbon dioxide (CO2) and “green hydrogen”, which is created by using renewable energy to split water molecules.

Compared to conventional marine fuels, green methanol has a smaller carbon footprint, reducing emissions by up to 65%, according to X-Press Feeders.

Last year, a ship was refueled with bio-methanol via another ship, but this was done on the high seas.

The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore, which supported Monday's refueling at the Port of Tuas, has signaled that it is ready to offer methanol bunkering on a commercial scale.

The city-state operates the world's second-largest port and is an important fuel supply hub.

Last year, in a bid to meet the greenhouse gas reduction targets set by the European Union, Danish shipping giant Maersk launched the first container ship powered by bio-methanol.

The X-Press Feeders vessel is the first ship made in China that can run on both conventional fuel and green methanol.

The company said it will add 14 of these bi-fuel ships to its fleet over this year and next.

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