ABS releases technical and operational advisory on methanol bunkering

ABS has released technical and operational advisory on using on methanol as a marine fuel. The new advisory provides the maritime industry with insight into the challenges of bunkering methanol and strategies to address them.

The publication provides guidance regarding the technical and operational challenges of the supplier to the receiving vessel including critical design issues, regulatory compliance, safe practices, areas of operational processes to consider, training and safety aspects.

According to the report, methanol (methyl or wood alcohol) is a clear, odorless chemical compound that has an additional oxygen atom compared to methane, with the chemical composition CH3OH (often abbreviated to MeOH). It is water soluble and biodegradable and has a low flashpoint of approximately 12˚ C and is corrosive to certain materials. Methanol can be produced from renewable sources such as biomass or an electrolysis process. These are also known as bio-methanol and e-methanol and may be delivered on a commercial scale.

There are currently no International Organization for Standardization (ISO) standards developed for methanol as a marine fuel. The fuel quality issues of methanol are far less than may be experienced with conventional residual fuel oils or liquefied natural gas (LNG). The ISO/DIS 6583 Specification of methanol as a marine fuel for marine applications is currently indicated as under development stage at the ISO/TC 28/SC 4 Technical Committee. Until this specification is published, the fuel specification and quality should be subject to the minimum statutory requirements for sulfur content and commercial agreements between supplier and purchaser. Agreements for fuel supply should also take into consideration the International Methanol Producers and Consumers Association

(IMPCA) Methanol Reference Specifications and the required specifications of the equipment manufacturers, i.e., the engine and fuel supply system designers.

For international shipping, the carriage of chemicals such as methanol in bulk is regulated by SOLAS Chapter VII – Carriage of dangerous goods and MARPOL Annex II – Regulations for the Control of Pollution by Noxious Liquid Substance in Bulk. Both of those regulations require chemical tankers built after 1 July 1986 to comply with the International Code for the Construction and Equipment of Ships Carrying Dangerous Chemicals in Bulk (IBC Code). The safety requirements developed under the IBC Code have provided some of the basis for the IMO developed guidelines for the use of methanol as fuel under the SOLAS framework of the International Code of Safety for Ships Using Gases or other Low-Flashpoint Fuels (IGF Code).