Shanghai port conducts China's first ship-to-ship methanol refueling

Shanghai's Yangshan port conducted China's first ship-to-ship green methanol bunkering, or refueling, for a large dual-powered container vessel on Wednesday, according to official sources.

The bunkering was carried out by the Hai Gang Zhi Yuan vessel for Danish shipping and logistics services provider A.P. Moller-Maersk's ship, the Astrid Mærsk. The Hai Gang Zhi Yuan is not only China's first but also one of the world's largest methanol bunkering ships.

The bunkering represents one of the latest efforts by the global shipping industry in promoting green fuel, as stated by the Shanghai Municipal Transportation Commission.

Compared to conventional fuels, renewable methanol can reduce greenhouse gas emissions by up to 95 percent. This safe liquid fuel is increasingly emerging as a future green energy option for the shipping industry.

With over 200 methanol fuel-powered vessel orders worldwide, a significant increase in demand for green methanol fuel bunkering is anticipated in the future.

The successful bunkering at the Shanghai Port by the Shanghai International Port Group marks a significant enhancement of Shanghai's service capability as an international shipping center. This achievement further consolidates the resource allocation capacity of the container port of Shanghai and contributes to the global shipping industry's green and low-carbon transformation, as stated by the commission.

wang_ying@chinadaily.com.cn