UK’s 1st commercial biomethanol bunkering service launches at Port of Immingham

Photo: Exolum

Exolum, Methanex Corp. and Ørsted announced Feb. 10 the launch of the U.K.’s first commercially ready biomethanol storage and supply service for shipping at the Port of Immingham.

The Port of Immingham is the U.K.’s largest port by cargo volume and a critical gateway for energy and bulk materials, making it an important hub for maritime operations and low‑carbon fuel supply.

The initiative underscores the partners’ commitment to advancing decarbonization in maritime transport—even as the International Maritime Organization recently deferred its vote on implementation of its net-zero framework, a policy regarded as critical to reducing emissions in shipping.

Despite this delay, the companies are prioritizing action to drive progress in one of the world’s hardest-to-abate sectors.

The initiative will provide marine-bunkering services for biomethanol, one of the leading green fuels for decarbonizing shipping.

Exolum will provide the storage and fueling infrastructure at its Immingham facility, leveraging its extensive experience and strategic assets.

Methanex will supply the biomethanol for the project.

Ørsted will be the first to utilize this service for its North Sea offshore wind farm maintenance vessels supporting the U.K.’s clean-energy ambitions.

This collaboration, according to the companies, demonstrates how existing energy infrastructure can be adapted to support new, sustainable fuels and highlights the partners’ shared commitment to accelerating the maritime sector’s transition to low-carbon operations.

In the U.K., domestic shipping accounts for 4.7 percent of transport-related CO2 emissions—more than the country’s buses, trains and domestic aviation combined.

This project marks a significant first step toward addressing that challenge and the wider challenge of decarbonizing international shipping emissions.

“This is a groundbreaking project for Exolum as it exemplifies how our energy logistics can help deliver our customers’ green transition,” said Stephen Land, Exolum’s chief executive for Northwest Europe. “It demonstrates how the strategic location of our infrastructure and our extensive experience in the transport and storage of various products can help transform one of the most difficult sectors of today’s economy to decarbonize.”

Mika Bärlund, the lead category manager at Ørsted, added, “Ørsted is pleased to be the first to fuel its service-operation vessels with biomethanol as part of this partnership. This project aligns with our commitment not only to create opportunities for local suppliers but also to help develop leading-edge technologies, in particular technologies which help us in our goal to deliver more sustainable operations and assist with the broader decarbonization of the maritime sector. Finally, it is a step towards our vision of creating a world that runs entirely on green energy.”

Stuart McCall, Methanex’s vice president of low carbon global market development, said, “Methanex is proud to supply the biomethanol for this milestone initiative. As the world’s largest producer and supplier of methanol, we are committed to developing and supporting innovative solutions that accelerate the transition to low-carbon shipping.”

Steven Clapperton with Associated British Ports, the owner of Port of Immingham, said, “This initiative marks a significant milestone for the Port of Immingham and the wider maritime sector. By enabling biomethanol bunkering, we are taking practical steps toward decarbonizing one of the hardest-to-abate industries. Associated British Ports is proud to support partners like Exolum, Ørsted and Methanex in driving innovation that aligns with the U.K.’s clean-energy ambitions and positions our ports at the forefront of sustainable shipping.”

The U.K. Department for Transport has published a roadmap to reduce shipping emissions by 30 percent by 2030 and 80 percent by 2040, with the aim of achieving zero emissions by 2050, a strategy for which Exolum is already working on several hydrogen, sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) and biofuel projects, to which biomethanol is now being added.

The ISCC-certified biomethanol supplied to Ørsted is produced at Methanex’s U.S. facilities on the Gulf Coast using feedstocks derived from waste and residues, such as organic municipal solid waste.

Compared to conventional marine fuels, it delivers up to an 80 percent reduction in greenhouse-gas emissions.