Danish shipping major A.P. Moller-Maersk’s first dual-fuelled methanol feeder ship was bunkered with OCI Hyfuel’s biomethanol at the Port of Ulsan in South Korea.

PHOTO: A.P. Moller-Maersk’s 2,100 TEU dual-fuelled methanol feeder vessel. A.P. Moller-Maersk

“The successful bunkering is a testament to the collaboration of our partners including the Ulsan Port Authority, Maersk and transportation and storage partner, Odfjell SE, with the support of the Korean Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries,” OCI Hyfuel said.

The 2,100 TEU feeder vessel started its maiden voyage from Ulsan to Copenhagen, Denmark. On the way, OCI Hyfuel will refuel it with biomethanol at the ports of Singapore and Rotterdam, and also in Egypt.

The voyage demonstrates biomethanol's “reliability, safety, and efficiency as the first low carbon shipping fuel,” OCI Global said.

A low-emission alternative

When it comes to bio-methanol, the Dutch green fuel supplier explains that it can “either be produced by using biomethane instead of natural gas in existing facilities or from biogenic fraction of gasification of municipal solid and biomass waste.”

OCI Global produces biogas from forestry waste, residues and byproducts. This biogas is then converted into biomethane and injected directly into a natural gas grid connected to its biomethanol production facility. The methanol plant converts biomethane from the grid into low-carbon methanol in a mass-balance system.

In a mass-balance system, fossil and renewable gas can be mixed, but their quantities are recorded and accounted for throughout the system.

OCI Global claims that its bio-methanol can reduce up to 65% of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions compared to fossil fuels on a well-to-wake basis. It predicts the shipping sector will consume at least 4 million mt/year in five years, based on current orders for new vessels and as new regulations, such as FuelEU Maritime, are implemented.

By Konica Bhatt

Please get in touch with comments or additional info to news@engine.online