Japan completes first STS methanol bunkering

The operation was carried out in the Yokohama District of Keihin Port by a consortium comprising MOL, the City of Yokohama, Kokuka Sangyo, Idemitsu Kosan and Mitsubishi Gas Chemical.

During the operation, methanol fuel was transferred from the Eika Maru, a coastal methanol transport vessel operated by Kokuka Sangyo, to the Kohzan Maru VII, a dual-fuel, ocean-going methanol carrier operated by MOL. Both vessels are chartered by MGC. The bunkering used domestically produced bio-methanol from MGC’s Niigata Plant, which is scheduled to be used as fuel for the future operation of the Kohzan Maru VII.

The anchorage bunkering was made possible through regulatory and technical groundwork led by Japan’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT). Between 2024 and 2025, MLIT’s Ports and Harbors Bureau established standards for implementation procedures and safety measures through the Study Group on the Formation of Methanol Bunkering Hubs.

These standards were supported by a methanol bunkering simulation conducted at Yokohama Port in September 2024 and extensive discussions among stakeholders, including the Japan Coast Guard.

Anchorage bunkering is already widely used for conventional marine fuels and is expected to play a similarly important role in the adoption of methanol as a marine fuel. This first successful operation demonstrates the feasibility of methanol bunkering for vessels in service and provides a foundation for broader deployment across Japan. The achievement follows earlier successes in STS methanol bunkering in Korea and Europe.

Following the operation, stakeholders will conduct post-project verification to consolidate technical and operational insights, with the intention of applying them to other vessel types and ports.