Norwegian shipping and logistics company Wallenius Wilhelmsen has entered into a two-year agreement with compatriot state-owned energy firm Equinor for the supply of bio-methanol for its upcoming dual-fuel methanol vessels.
The ISCC EU-certified mass-balanced bio-methanol, to be produced in Norway, will be delivered to Wallenius Wilhelmsen’s vessels at the Ports of Zeebrugge and Antwerp in Belgium, and is expected to reduce CO2 emissions by 95%.
Equinor said that the supply of bio-methanol is based on a combination of methanol produced at its facility at Tjeldbergodden, Norway, and biogas certificates stemming from captured biogas from manure and other biomass in accordance with the EU Renewable Energy Directive.
With methanol produced from the biomethane in the gas grid on a mass-balance basis, bio-methanol can be produced in existing facilities using existing infrastructure and plants, enabling quick production and less pressure on natural resources and the environment, the Norwegian firm said.
“We continue to see increasing interest in bio-methanol as a practical, scalable solution for decarbonisation of shipping. This partnership with Wallenius Wilhelmsen marks a substantial step forward in bringing Equinor’s bio-based methanol to the growing marine segment for low carbon fuels,” said Alex Grant , senior vice president of Crude, Products and Liquids (CPL) at Equinor.
“Equinor has previously signed supply agreements for bio-methanol with Maersk and NCL, and we are progressing several leads for both bio and conventional methanol supply agreements.”
The agreement is said to support Wallenius Wilhelmsen’s ambition to deliver a net-zero end-to-end pilot service for some customers from 2027 by securing access to lower-emission fuels for its ocean operations.
Supplies will begin late this year.
“Signing this deal with Equinor marks an important milestone for us at Wallenius Wilhelmsen. Securing low-carbon bio-methanol supports the decarbonization of our ocean operations, while strengthening our ability to deliver lower emission end-to-end logistics for customers. Partnerships like this are essential to scaling alternative fuels and moving from ambition to execution,” said Xavier Leroi , Chief Operating Officer, Shipping Services at Wallenius Wilhelmsen.