MI publishes guide to methanol as marine fuel

The Methanol Institute (MI) has published the first comprehensive guide to methanol as a marine fuel.

The orderbook for methanol fuelled ships has grown rapidly with owners and operators specifying the fuel for use on ships from the largest container ships to small pilot boats. In between is the growing fleet of methanol carriers, bunker tankers, bulk carriers, heavy lift vessels, cruise ships, ferries and superyachts.

Approved for use as fuel under the IMO’s IGF Code, the momentum for methanol as fuel has increased as studies, analysis and guidance – much of it supported by the Methanol Institute – has been published. This includes early guidance for bunkering operations developed with Lloyd’s Register and subsequent work with the ports of Shanghai, Singapore and Rotterdam.

Propulsion systems include two-stroke main engines, four stroke units, and fuel cells using methanol for conversion to hydrogen. Main engine manufacturers report considerable order backlogs and are developing ever larger, higher capacity units. Studies and pilots continue to prove the effectiveness of converting smaller main engines to methanol operations.