Proman Stena Bulk takes delivery of fourth methanol-fuelled tanker
Built at China’s Guangzhou Shipyard International, the 49,990-dwt methanol-fuelled vessel Stena Prosperous is expected to enter commercial operations soon.
PHOTO: The Stena Pro Marine. Stena Bulk
The vessel is projected to consume approximately 12,500 mt/year of methanol.
Proman Stena Bulk is a joint venture between Swiss methanol producer Proman and Swedish shipping company Stena Bulk.
The joint venture company already has a fleet of three methanol-fuelled tankers, which were delivered earlier this year. These vessels have bunkered methanol in Ulsan, Trinidad and Rotterdam.
The company claims that the methanol it uses can reduce carbon dioxide emissions from vessels by up to 15% on a tank-to-wake basis compared to conventional oil-based bunker fuels.
Most methanol produced today is not green methanol, but more carbon-intensive fossil methanol. Around 98 million mt/year of fossil methanol is produced globally, compared to less than 0.2 million mt/year of renewable methanol, according to the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA).
IRENA forecasts total methanol production to increase rapidly to meet rising demand over the coming decades. By 2050, it projects the world can produce 500 million mt/year of fossil methanol, 250 million mt/year of e-methanol and 135 million mt/year of bio-methanol.
“Its highly scalable and commercially viable decarbonisation pathway means it is one of best solutions for shipowners to meet sustainability commitments and every incoming emissions target that the maritime industry will face,” Proman Shipping’s managing director for marketing and logistics Anita Gajadhar said.
Methanol has been gaining attention as an alternative fuel choice to reduce ship emissions. The next logical step is to build a supply chain for green methanol bunkering.
Danish shipping company A.P. Moller – Maersk inked another deal this week to buy around 390,000 mt/year of green methanol produced from SunGas Renewables’ first production unit in the US.
By Shilpa Sharma
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