Maersk dual-fuel vessel receives 100% bioethanol in Houston

A methanol dual-fuel container ship, owned by Danish shipping company A.P. Moller-Maersk, has been bunkered with an unspecified quantity of 100% bio-ethanol at the Port of Houston in the US.

IMAGE: Methanol dual-fuel container ship Tangier Maersk at the Port of Mobile in the US. Maersk via Alabama Port Authority

Houston-based barge operator Kirby delivered the stem to Tangier Maersk in a ship-to-ship bunkering operation. The bioethanol was sourced from US biofuel producer POET.

Maersk is exploring the use of ethanol on its methanol-capable vessels to increase fuel flexibility.

It has tested 100% ethanol on another of its methanol dual-fuel vessels, Laura Maersk. Another Maersk dual-fuel vessel, Antonia Maersk, was bunkered with 100% ethanol at the Port of Barcelona.

“Bioethanol has spent decades proving itself as a reliable, scalable fuel in the world's largest transportation market,” Jeff Broin, chief executive of POET said. “Now we have an opportunity to take that same American-made fuel into a global maritime market.”

Several other shipping companies are also exploring ethanol as an alternative fuel for methanol-capable vessels.

Singapore-based container line X-Press Feeders tested a blend of 90% biomethanol and 10% ethanol (E10) on one of its methanol-capable container ships in Rotterdam.

French shipping company CMA CGM bunkered its vessel CMA CGM Iron with 500,000 litres (approximately 395 mt) of bioethanol at the Port of Santos in Brazil. The fuel was delivered by Bunker One’s bunker barge Dona Isa.

By Konica Bhatt

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