The Week in Alternative Fuels
The outcome of the upcoming IMO’s 80th Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) meeting could possibly make or break shipping's net-zero ambition.
PHOTO: Street view of International Maritime Organisation building in Lambeth, London, England. Twitter of @IMOHQ
The maritime industry gears up for the much-awaited IMO’s 80th MEPC meeting that will begin on 3 July. IMO member states are expected to adopt a revised greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions strategy, five years after they adopted an initial strategy of halving emissions by 2050.
Several industry experts and environmental groups have urged the IMO to take decisive actions and set a goal to achieve net-zero emissions in shipping by 2050.
This week in London, the Intersessional Working Group on Reducing GHG Emissions from Ships held meetings prior to the MEPC 80. These meetings are devised to build a consensus among the IMO member states ahead of the crucial MEPC meeting next week. During the opening remarks, the IMO’s Secretary General Kitach Lim urged the member states to be “bold and ambitious” while working on the revision of the GHG strategy.
Lim also advocated for the establishment of intermediate checkpoints by 2030 and 2040 and a higher goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. These remarks come as some IMO member states stand divided over the intermediate GHG emission targets for 2030 and 2040.
Meanwhile, a net-zero emission target for 2050 has been strongly supported by Western IMO member states like the US, UK, Canada, and EU nations. However, member states like India and China have opposed it.
In other alternative fuel news, Danish shipping firm A.P Moller – Maersk has placed orders for six additional methanol-ready container ships, bringing the total orderbook for the methanol-powered dual-fuel container ship to 25.
As big shipping firms stack up orders for methanol-fuelled ships, Singapore has taken one more stride towards methanol bunkering. This week, TotalEnergies Marine Fuels and Denmark-based Green Marine Bunkering announced a joint feasibility study to set up a methanol bunker supply in Singapore. The announcement follows the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore's (MPA) expectation to commence methanol bunkering in Singapore in the third quarter of this year.
Also in the spotlight this week, the Swedish ferry operator Stena Line has contracted Finnish ship engine maker Wärtsilä to retrofit some of its vessels to operate on methanol. The retrofitting process will take place in 2025.
In another interesting development, Norwegian firms Equinor and Azane Fuel Solutions have collaborated to study ammonia bunkering prospects in Norway. The study will cover "logistical optimization, operational planning, and safety aspects" of introducing clean ammonia as a marine fuel to decarbonise the Norwegian offshore sector.
By Nithin Chandran
Here is our selection of the top five stories from this week:
IMO Secretary General urges working group members to take decisive action
Maersk orders six methanol-ready vessels
TotalEnergies and Green Marine Bunkering to explore methanol bunkering options in Singapore
Stena Line to convert some of its vessels to run on methanol
