Aasen Shipping orders three methanol-ready vessels from Netherlands

Norwegian shipping company Aasen Shipping has agreed to buy three methanol-ready self discharger vessels from Dutch shipbuilders Royal Bodewes.

PHOTO: Aasen Shipping’s methanol-ready self discharger concept. Royal Bodewes

A self-discharger is a ship that is able to discharge its cargo using its own gear. These vessels are equipped with onboard cargo handling systems that allow them to unload cargo directly without relying on external cranes or equipments at the destination port.

Methanol-ready means that the vessel will run on conventional fuel from when it is delivered, until it is converted to be able to consume alternative marine fuel.

All three of the 9,400-dwt vessels will be integrated with Wärtsilä’s four-stroke diesel engines. Initially, these vessels will run on conventional-oil based marine fuels. However, they are designed to be retrofitted in the future to enable the use of methanol as a fuel.

“Once green methanol is available, these ships can easily be rebuilt to consume green methanol. In that case the ships can operate completely emission-free, both in port and at sea,” Royal Bodewes says.

The vessels will also be equipped with a large battery pack for additional power for both main engine and auxiliary engine, shore power capability and a waste heat recovery system. The system will utilise waste heat from the main engine to generate additional power, thereby improving the vessel's fuel efficiency.

The three vessels are scheduled to be delivered December 2025, April 2026 and September 2026, respectively.

By Tuhin Roy

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