Dutch shipowners, shipyards, manufacturers and ports of Amsterdam and Rotterdam have joined forces to study methanol as a marine fuel ahead of the IMO’s 2020 sulphur cap.
The consortium, supported by Maritime Knowledge Centre, would look into the feasibility of methanol as a sustainable alternative transport fuel in the maritime sector.
“As part of the project, the partners will look at concrete possibilities to adopt methanol as marine fuel on either newbuilds or conversions of the existing fleet,” Pieter Boersma, Business Director Maritime & Offshore of TNO, said.
Shipowners Boskalis, The Royal Netherlands Navy, Van Oord and Wagenborg Shipping will take part in the consortium, together with shipbuilders, Damen Shipyards, Feadship, Royal IHC and engine manufacturers Pon Power and Wärtsilä together with VIV, as well as equipment suppliers Marine Service Noord and service providers C-Job Naval Architects.
Work to study the infrastructure and supply chain for methanol is also addressed by the participation of The Netherlands’ two largest ports, Rotterdam and Amsterdam, as well as methanol suppliers BioMCN and Helm Proman and trade organization The Methanol Institute.
The Netherlands’ research institutes, including TNO, TU Delft, NLDA and Marin, also invest in this theme and provide knowledge-building and research capacity for the project.
The Green Maritime Methanol project, supported by TKI Maritime and the Netherlands Ministry of Economic Affairs, is expected to be completed within two years.