Smyril Line orders two e-methanol-ready RoRo vessels

Faroese shipping company Smyril Line has ordered two e-methanol-ready roll-on/roll-off (RoRo) ships from China’s CIMC Raffles shipyard.

PHOTO: Smyril Line’s e-methanol-ready RoRo concept. Smyril Line

E-methanol-ready means that the vessel will initially run on fossil marine fuels until it undergoes a conversion to utilise e-methanol.

E-methanol, or synthetic methanol, is produced by combining 100% biogenic CO2 and green hydrogen. Biogenic CO2 is typically captured through either bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS) or through direct air capture (DAC). E-methanol is virtually free of greenhouse gases and can cut a vessel's CO2 emissions by 95% compared to fossil marine fuels on a well-to-wake basis.

Both vessels will be equipped to use shore power where it is available and have battery systems to reduce fuel consumption and emissions.

Upon completion, the vessels will be deployed for routes connecting Europe, the Faroe Islands and Iceland. The company expects the vessels to commence operations in 2026.

By Tuhin Roy

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