The Week in Alternative Fuels

Here are some key developments in alternative bunker fuels from the past week.

PHOTO: PRIO Energy supplying biofuel to a Norwegian Cruise Line ship. PRIO Energy

Shipping companies are betting on "fuel-diverse" operations to achieve net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, a joint industry survey found. The survey was conducted by the maritime non-profits Global Maritime Forum, the Global Centre for Maritime Decarbonisation and the Mærsk Mc-Kinney Møller Center for Zero Carbon Shipping.

The survey found that almost half of the shipping companies were interested in using a variety of alternative fuels, including biofuels, bio-LNG, bio-methane, methanol and ammonia, rather than relying on just one.

Biofuels' demand outlook continues to look promising. Portuguese biofuel producer PRIO Energy’s coordinator of emerging businesses and shipping Telmo Ferreira spoke to ENGINE and discussed the expansion of the firm's biofuel bunkering setup beyond Portugal.

As shipbuilders are about to deliver vessels powered by ammonia and methanol over the next few years, ports are developing bunker infrastructure to supply the fuels.

Singapore will enable supply of methanol to fuel ships from the third quarter of this year, the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore’s (MPA) chief executive Eng Dih Teo said.

The Ulsan Port in South Korea plans to start bunkering ammonia-powered vessels by 2025. Hyundai Merchant Marine (HMM) will bring ammonia in from overseas producers to Lotte Fine Chemical's (LFC) ammonia storage facility in Ulsan.

The Port of Melbourne Authority has partnered with A.P. Møller – Mærsk, CMA CGM and others to explore the feasibility of setting up a green methanol bunkering hub in Melbourne. Mærsk and CMA CGM have both placed double-digit orders for methanol-fuelled vessels.

By Konica Bhatt

Here is our selection of top five alternative fuels stories from this week:

Shipping's future expected to be multi-fuel - industry survey

Q&A: PRIO Energy mulls biofuel expansion beyond Portugal on expected bunker demand boost

MSC Cruises tests second vessel on LNG

HMM to transport ammonia for Lotte Fine Chemicals

Maritime firms look to establish green methanol bunkering in Melbourne