Methanex, Stena Line and Port of Gothenburg achieve new methanol milestone

According to a statement, this partnership is another demonstration of the leadership role that the parties play in growing the demand for methanol as a marine fuel and their commitment to playing an active role in supporting the industry’s energy transition.

As the world’s largest producer and supplier of methanol, we’re pleased to continue our collaboration with Stena Line to demonstrate that methanol is a leading alternative, cleaner-burning, future-proof marine fuel. This first ship-to-ship methanol bunkering for a non-tanker, leveraging our partners E&S Tankers and Port of Gothenburg, is further evidence that methanol is globally available, safe to ship, store and handle using procedures similar to those for conventional marine fuels, said Karine Delbarre, SVP, Global Marketing & Logistics, Methanex.

Methanol as an alternative marine fuel has ultra-clean burning properties that meet increasingly stringent air quality emissions regulations in the maritime sector.

Compared to conventional marine fuels, methanol reduces emissions of sulphur oxides (SOx) and particulate matter (PM) by more than 95 percent, nitrogen oxides (NOx) by up to 80 percent, and carbon dioxide (CO₂) from combustion by up to 15 percent.

The latter can be reduced significantly further if renewable methanol or eMethanol is used.

The Stena Germanica, connecting Gothenburg, Sweden with Kiel, Germany, became the world’s first methanol-powered ferry when Stena Line converted the 240-metre vessel in 2015 in partnership with Methanex, Wärtsilä, the Port of Gothenburg, and the Port of Kiel. We welcome ship-to-ship bunkering as a tool to achieve a stable and efficient supply chain for methanol which is critical in Stena Line’s shift to alternative fuels and to retain our position as a leader in sustainable shipping, said Maria Tornvall, Head of Sustainability at Stena Line.

Become the primary bunkering hub

As the largest port in Scandinavia, the Port of Gothenburg’s ambition is to become the primary bunkering hub for renewable methanol in Northern Europe. Stena Germanica has until now been bunkering methanol solely from trucks.

This is a door-opening demonstration, proving that there is a feasible way to handle ship-to-ship methanol bunkering. With this, we are strengthening our position as a bunkering hub and at the same time showcasing that this can be done in a safe and efficient way. Not only here, but also in other ports around the world, said Christoffer Lillhage, Senior Business Development Manager, Energy at the Gothenburg Port Authority.

For example, the world’s largest container shipping company, Denmark’s A.P. Moller – Maersk (Maersk), has 19 larger methanol-propelled container ships on order.

X-Press Feeders is another major player that will start launching eight methanol-powered vessels already this year, and many other shipping companies are placing new methanol-powered vessels in the order books.

The Port of Gothenburg has a long history of advocating and facilitating alternative fuels in the transition to greener shipping.

A mix of alternative fuels is required, where methanol is a key component.

Collaborative process

The historic methanol ship-to-ship bunkering was made possible by a number of different stakeholders collaborating throughout the whole process.

Operating regulations for methanol bunkering is a prerequisite that the Port of Gothenburg was the first in the world to publish in April 2022.

Stena Line is the owner of the vessel in question and the purchaser of the methanol. The tanker operator E&S Tankers carried out the bunkering itself, and methanol producer and supplier Methanex provided the fuel.

We want to establish the Port of Gothenburg as the primary bunkering hub for alternative marine fuels in northern Europe. Today we are one step closer to that goal and we are ready to receive more methanol vessels, ended Christoffer Lillhage.