Waterfront welcomes methanol-fuelled vessels

The 49,000dwt M/T Mari Couva and M/T Mari Kokako were built in Korea at Hyundai Mipo Dockyard with second generation MAN B&W ME-LGIM two stroke dual-fuel engines that can run on both methanol and conventional marine fuels. They join the seven existing methanol-fuelled vessels chartered by Waterfront Shipping. A further two vessels, also powered by methanol, will be delivered to Waterfront Shipping before the end of the year.

“We are very excited by the performance of our first seven methanol-fuelled vessels that have proven the safety and reliability of the technology,” said Paul Hexter, president of Waterfront Shipping. “We are proud that approximately 40 per cent of our fleet will be powered by methanol-fuel technology by the end of the year.”

Methanol is widely traded and available globally at major ports, providing a cost-effective solution for ship owners. In addition to IMO 2020-compliant SOx emissions and the ability to meet Tier III NOx regulations without exhaust after-treatment, methanol can also provide a pathway to meeting future carbon emission reduction targets when it is produced from renewable sources.

René Sejer Laursen, promotion manager at MAN Energy Solutions, said, “We developed the ME-LGIM engine in response to interest from the shipping world in alternatives to heavy fuel oil. With the growing demand for cleaner marine fuels, methanol is a sulphur-free alternative that meets the industry’s increasingly stringent emission regulations.”