Methanol fuel guidelines ready for IMO approval

he fifth meeting of the subcommittee, are designed to provide for the safe design and operation of ships using methyl/ethyl alcohol (also known as methanol and ethanol) as fuel. After a review of safety considerations by further committees it is hoped that the guidelines will be ready for formal approval by the Maritime Safety Committee in early 2020.

The guidelines are a precursor to the development of a chapter on methyl/ethyl alcohol in the International Code of Safety for Ships using Gases or other Low-flashpoint Fuels (IGF Code). CCC5 agreed that the draft interim guidelines should be finalised urgently, with a commitment to add new section to the IGF Code as soon as possible.

“Methanol is compliant with 2020 and provides a pathway to achieving carbon emission targets,” said Chris Chatterton, chief operating officer, The Methanol Institute. “These guidelines and ultimately its inclusion in the IGF Code are a further milestone to achieving a cleaner, more sustainable maritime industry.”

In July IMO invited the International Organization for Standardization to develop a standard for methyl/ethyl alcohol as a marine fuel.