Methanol-fuelled Proman Stena Bulk tanker named

Stena Pro Patria is the first of three methanol-fuelled vessels delivered in 2022 to the joint venture, with a further three newbuilds due for delivery between now and 2024.

Stena Pro Patria will use approximately 12,500 tonnes of methanol as fuel per year, which will significantly reduce the volume of greenhouse gas emissions resulting from the vessel’s commercial operations compared to conventional marine fuels.

The vessel was delivered in June 2022 and has demonstrated an unprecedently low EEDI (Energy Efficiency Design Index) value while running on methanol. The IMOIIMeMax vessel series benefits from industry-leading design improvements and technologies to maximise energy efficiency, resulting in an EEDI 11% below the 2025 Phase 3 requirements.

Proman is the largest investor and employer in the Point Lisas Industrial Estate, which is home to Trinidad and Tobago’s downstream petrochemicals sector. Proman’s facilities include the world-scale M5000 methanol plant, which produces low-carbon methanol by recycling CO2 produced from nearby ammonia plants. Since 2006, almost 24 million tonnes of CO2 have been captured from both Proman’s own and neighbouring ammonia plants and re-used.

During his feature address, Dr. The Honourable Keith Rowley, Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago outlined the potential for bunkering in Trinidad and Tobago to be a significant part of the country’s economic development, saying: “We are one of the largest producers and exporters of methanol in the world, and we happen geographically to be on a place at the tip of South America, East of the Panama Canal where all these vessels are being encouraged to change their fuel consumption from the dirty fuel to clean fuel – and that fuel is available in Trinidad and Tobago. What we are aiming to do is to make Trinidad and Tobago a major refuelling hub for oceangoing vessels that can be refuelled by clean fuel.”