Singapore-based independent common carrier X-Press Feeders has taken delivery of its first green methanol-powered containership built by Chinese shipbuilder Yangzijiang Shipbuilding Group.
As disclosed, the 1,260 TEU boxship was delivered on May 16, 2024. The vessel features a dual-fuel engine that can run on green methanol, to spearhead Europe’s first feeder network powered by green methanol.
The maritime shipping company, which operates a fleet of more than 100 vessels, has fourteen dual-fuel vessels on order which are due for delivery from the first quarter of 2024 through mid-2026. X-Press Feeders’ dual-fuel ships are each at approximately 1,200 TEU capacity with an overall length of 148 meters.
The first dual-fuel vessel, dubbed the first green methanol-powered containership built in China, will sail on its maiden voyage from Shanghai to the Port of Rotterdam via the Suez Canal.
It will use bio-methanol for its voyage to Europe. Bio-methanol is a renewable energy source produced from the decomposition of organic matter, such as waste and residues.
While X-Press Feeders is committed to using green methanol, the availability and distribution of methanol at ports on a global scale still poses a challenge.
The company recently signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with six European ports to accelerate the establishment of green shipping corridors and decarbonize the marine sector in Scandinavia and the Baltic Sea.
Under the MoU, the partners plan to develop infrastructure for the provision and bunkering of alternative fuels such as green methanol.
The company also signed a firm contract with Dutch fuel supplier OCI Global for the supply of green methanol, which is ISCC-EU certified.
The decision to add dual-fuel vessels powered by green methanol is a key element of X-Press Feeders’ pledge to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions (CO2e) by 20% by 2035, 50% by 2040 and be net zero by 2050.