Golden Island plans methanol bunkering in Singapore from 2026

Singapore-based bunker supplier Golden Island plans to supply methanol as a marine fuel in Singapore from 2026, a company representative told ENGINE.

PHOTO: Cargo terminal at the Port of Singapore. Getty Images

Golden Island plans to build a methanol bunker tanker to facilitate future methanol bunkering. The bunker tanker will have a methanol carrying capacity of about 8,000-12,000 dwt.

The company will first focus on supplying methanol in Singapore and could expand operations to other ports in future. “According to demand and regulations etc., we may consider expansion to other regions in future,” Golden Island said.

Golden Island plans to initially start by supplying grey (fossil) methanol with plans to offer green (renewable) methanol in future.

Methanol has widely been put forward as a key short-term alternative to conventional marine fuels. There are mainly two things speaking in methanol's favour. It is said to be available to bunker in over 100 ports around the world, and large ship engines have been developed to consume it. Ammonia and hydrogen engines, by contrast, are still being developed and tested.

The global methanol-fuelled fleet is currently made up of just 25 vessels, but it is set to more than double with another 31 expected to join by next year, and 59 by 2028, according to data from the classification society DNV. A majority of these new orders are for methanol-powered container ships.

Container shipping giants such as A.P. Møller – Mærsk, COSCO Shipping Lines and CMA CGM have ramped up investments in methanol dual fuel container ships. Maersk has placed orders for 19 methanol-powered container ships.

By Nithin Chandran

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