The Swedish Maritime Administration (SMA) has launched what it says is the world's first pilot boat to be fully powered by methanol. One of the Administration's existing pilot boats has now been rebuilt to be tested with the new fuel. The work forms part of the Swedish Maritime Administration's conversion work towards a fossil-free fleet.
The work of rebuilding one of the Swedish Maritime Administration’s pilot boats from previously running on diesel to now running on methanol is part of a larger EU Horizon 2020 project – FAST Track to Clean and Carbon-Neutral WATERborne Transport through Gradual Introduction of Methanol Fuel (FASTWATER) that will continue until 2024.
While there are other projects with various forms of methanol-powered vessels, the Swedish Maritime Administration’s pilot boat is the world’s first of its kind. The boat will now be part of the plant’s regular pilot operations to evaluate the technology and also ensure both its capacity and capability.
The pilot boat will be the first of its kind in the world. In general, we in Sweden are far ahead when it comes to the area of maritime research and innovation. It is, therefore, no coincidence that this particular project is now being implemented in this country, said Fredrik Backman, Shipping Director at the Swedish Maritime Administration.
The Administration has been commissioned by the Swedish government to analyze and make proposals on how the agency’s vessel fleet can become fossil-free. A mission based on the government’s national climate targets, which include a reduction of at least 70 percent of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from domestic transport by 2030.
Currently, the Swedish Maritime Administration’s fleet consists of 110 vessels, of which 70 are pilot boats.
Our redesigned pilot boat is an important piece of the puzzle in our larger and broader transition work towards a completely fossil-free vessel fleet. The pilot boat will now be put to the test, something that happens through many hours of tough and continuous tests. Tests that will then be evaluated and analyzed, said Fredrik Backman.
