Maersk and Hong Lam Marine conduct containership methanol bunkering in Singapore

A Maersk methanol-fueled containership – stated to be the first of its type in the world – has completed a successful methanol bunkering operation at the Raffles Reserved Anchorage in Singapore. The bunkering was carried out by Maersk and Hong Lam Marine, with support from the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA), government agencies and research institutes.

During the methanol bunkering operation – Singapore’s first – the container vessel was refueled with an estimated 300 metric tons of bio-methanol via Hong Lam Marine’s Singapore-registered tanker, the MT Agility. Maersk’s containership will now continue on its maiden journey to Copenhagen, Denmark, where it will be named during a ceremony in September.

The methanol bunkering operation marks a major milestone for Singapore’s development toward a multi-fuel future. MPA has revealed that more methanol bunkering operations are planned over the next year as methanol-enabled vessels are delivered internationally.

“The success of the methanol bunkering operation is a result of nearly a year’s preparations with various government agencies, research institutes, international collaborators and industry to develop rigorous safety procedures through in-depth operational and risk assessments, modelling and validation,” said Teo Eng Dih, chief executive, MPA.

“This operation will help inform the development of the various standards, including the Technical Reference for methanol bunkering operations in Singapore, and guide our approach for future pilots and trials of new marine fuels.”

“Maersk is excited to collaborate with the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore, Mitsui & Co., the American Bureau of Shipping and Hong Lam Marine on the maiden voyage of the world’s first container vessel sailing on green methanol,” said Morten Bo Christensen, head of energy transition, AP Moller – Maersk.

“This journey is an important step in our efforts to reach net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2040, as it will allow us to gain the necessary operational experience to operate the new engines and the fuel provided by OCI Global ahead of the arrival of our larger methanol-enabled vessels in the coming years.”