Methanol bunkering to start in Singapore this year

Singapore will enable supply of methanol to fuel ships from the third quarter of this year, the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore’s (MPA) chief executive Eng Dih Teo says.

PHOTO: View of an oil depot in Singapore with jetties in the background. Getty Images

Around 80 participants including ship agencies, companies, associations and research institutions such as the Methanol Institute have already begun preparations for methanol bunkering, Teo said in a social media post.

Existing fuel storage tanks and pipelines from terminal operators such as Vopak are methanol compatible, Teo asserts. He still thinks that infrastructural upgrades and a regulatory framework are still needed to facilitate methanol bunker supply in Singapore.

Container shipping giants such as A.P. Moller – Maersk, COSCO and CMA CGM have already placed multiple orders for dual-fuelled methanol container ships. Teo notes that green methanol availability is still limited and sourcing it might be difficult initially. But he thinks that green methanol production will increase with time.

Detecting methanol spills can be difficult as it burns with a clear bluish flame that is hard to see, especially during the daytime.

In order to tackle any methanol spill situations, researchers are studying the fuel's dispersion behaviour for spill management using the MPA’s hydrographic data, and wind data from the the Meteorological Service Singapore, Teo adds.

By Nithin Chandran

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