Shanghai port completes first-ever ship-to-ship bio-methanol bunkering

A simultaneous ship-to-ship bunkering of green methanol for dual-powered container ship HMM Green, registered under a South Korean logistics company, was conducted on March 29 at Shanghai's Yangshan port, the first bunkering of domestically produced green methanol, according to Shanghai International Port (Group) Co Ltd.

The bunkering was facilitated by Hai Gang Zhi Yuan, the nation's first and largest methanol bunkering vessel in operation. In comparison with the vessel's first-ever ship-to-ship green methanol refueling for Danish shipping and logistics services provider A.P. Moller-Maersk's Astrid Maersk in April 2024, the latest bunkering involves a greater amount of about 2,900 tons of green methanol, which is produced in the Inner Mongolia autonomous region.

Considering its safety, sophisticated technology and scale production capability, green methanol is regarded as a prime option, as the global shipping industry strives to achieve carbon neutrality.

The HMM Green is one of nine 9,000 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) container ships ordered in 2023, achieving the company's commitment of realizing low carbon and green transformation in the coming decade.

"We are honored to collaborate with HMM to make progress in this milestone project," said Luo Wenbin, executive director and general manager of SIPG's energy subsidiary.

"This is not only an important step in promoting China's green methanol industry chain but also offers shipping industry's energy transition and sustainable development with a reliable China solution," Luo said.