Press Release: The Methanol Institute is pleased to announce that new data on the global availability of Methanol will be hosted on the DNV GL Alternative Fuels Insight (AFI) platform.
The data will be available to all users of AFI, which was developed by the class society to provide the shipping industry with an open platform for evaluating the potential uptake of alternative fuels and energy efficiency technologies.
“Through our global seminar programmes and industry contacts, a persistent question we hear is to what extent Methanol could be available as a fuel to support compliance with IMO 2020 and reduce NOx, PM and carbon emissions,” says Methanol Institute COO Chris Chatterton. “This co-operation with DNV GL will provide shipowners with the information they need to make decisions about adoption of this proven, compliant, future fuel.”
The analysis, conducted for MI by Infiniti Research, found that Methanol is potentially available as marine fuel at over 100 ports around the world. Of these leading ports, 47 have confirmed Methanol storage of more than 50,000 mt.
Infiniti initially conducted research at 56 of the world’s leading ports where Methanol is known to be stored and shipped, contacting potential Methanol suppliers to assess their readiness to bunker ocean-going vessels. A further 66 ports with Methanol supply and storage confirmed by suppliers were identified by Infiniti through both primary and secondary sources.
“DNV GL developed the AFI platform to support the shipping industry’s transition to a cleaner, green future with freely-available tools and resources,” says DNV GL AFI Principal Engineer Kjetil Martinsen. “By including this data on Methanol availability, AFI can help shipowners and other maritime stakeholders monitor the global availability of such alternative fuels and assess the best options for their own vessels.”
Methanol is the largest chemical commodity shipped by volume and has been traded internationally for over 50 years. Thanks to its broad range of industrial derivatives and large end-user markets as a petrochemical feedstock as well as a fuel, Methanol has been widely available for decades.
The availability data can be accessed free of charge on DNV GL’s AFI Platform here: https://store.veracity.com/alternative-fuels-insight-platform-afi
Header photo image courtesy of Waterfront Shipping/Methanex
