Canadian producer Methanex and Japanese shipowner Mitsui OSK Lines (MOL) say they have completed the first ever net-zero journey across the Atlantic using bio-methanol.
The dual-fuel, 51,000-dwt methanol tanker Cajun Sun (built 2016) headed from Geismar in the US on 17 January and arrived in Antwerp, Belgium, on 4 February.
The ship is operated by Methanex subsidiary Waterfront Shipping and chartered from MOL.
The vessel was bunkered by blending bio-methanol, with a negative carbon intensity, and natural gas-based methanol.
Net-zero greenhouse gas emissions on a lifecycle basis were achieved for the 18-day trip.
Mark Allard, senior vice president of low-carbon solutions at Methanex, said: “We’re proud to bring the marine industry a tangible solution to transition towards net-zero emissions through our blended methanol product using bio-methanol produced from renewable natural gas at our facility in Geismar.”
Kazuhiro Takahashi, executive officer responsible for bunkers at MOL, said: “This is another example of what we can collectively accomplish in our long-term partnership with Methanex and Waterfront Shipping that was solidified in early 2022 when we purchased a 40% interest in Waterfront Shipping.”
The use of methanol as an alternative marine fuel was pioneered by Waterfront Shipping in 2016 when the company, Methanex and MOL, in conjunction with other key partners, jointly built the world’s first oceangoing methanol dual-fuel tanker — the 50,000-dwt Taranaki Sun.
In December last year, trading giant Trafigura struck a time-charter deal to add a Waterfront Shipping methanol carrier to its fleet as part of its energy transition efforts — the first such deal by a non-methanol producer.
The dual-fuel, 50,000-dwt Mari Innovator (built 2021) will be operated as part of its global network of vessels used in clean product trading routes.
