Methanex, MOL complete 1st-ever net-zero voyage fueled by biomethanol

Photo: Mitsui O.S.K. Lines Ltd.

Methanex Corp. and Mitsui O.S.K. Lines Ltd. announced in late February the dual-fuel vessel Cajun Sun successfully completed the first-ever net-zero voyage fueled by biomethanol.

The voyage is an example of how Methanex and MOL are collaborating to demonstrate the viability of methanol as a marine fuel with a pathway to net-zero emissions.

The Cajun Sun, operated by Methanex’s subsidiary Waterfront Shipping and chartered from MOL, departed from Geismar, Louisiana, Jan. 17 and arrived in Antwerp, Belgium, Feb. 4.

By blending negative carbon-intensity biomethanol certified by the International Sustainability and Carbon Certification system with natural gas-based methanol, net-zero greenhouse-gas emissions on a lifecycle basis were achieved for the 18-day transatlantic voyage.

This innovative-fuel solution offers shipping companies the ability to achieve net-zero carbon emissions today, supporting the industry’s transition to a low-carbon future.

“We’re proud to bring the marine industry a tangible solution to transition towards net-zero emissions through our blended-methanol product using biomethanol produced from renewable natural gas at our facility in Geismar,” said Mark Allard, Methanex’s senior vice president of low-carbon solutions. “As the world’s largest methanol producer, we are establishing a network of relationships with leading renewable natural-gas suppliers and assessing other pathways, including carbon capture and storage and e-methanol, to provide solutions for the marine industry and other customers.”

Kazuhiro Takahashi, MOL’s executive officer responsible for the bunker-business division, added, “We’re pleased to complete the net-zero voyage by utilizing biomethanol. This is another example of what we can collectively accomplish in our long-term partnership with Methanex and Waterfront Shipping that was solidified in early 2022 when we purchased a 40 percent interest in Waterfront Shipping. MOL, as a pioneering shipping company, is committed to reducing the environmental impact of the shipping sector. The use of methanol, which can be readily adopted today, is one of the very promising alternative fuels. We are also contributing to various stages of the supply chain through the development and usage of alternative fuels in the global shipping industry.”

The use of methanol as an alternative marine fuel was pioneered by Waterfront Shipping in 2016 when Methanex, Waterfront Shipping and MOL, in conjunction with other key partners, jointly built the world’s first ocean-going methanol dual-fuel tanker, Taranaki Sun.