China presents country’s first marine methanol fuel bunkering standards

Regulation & Policy

September 29, 2023, by Aida Čučuk

China Petroleum Circulation Association (CPCA) and the China Entry-Exit Inspection and Quarantine Association (CIQA) have officially released China’s first group standards for methanol refuelling operations and quality control.

The standards, ‘Marine Methanol Fuel Waterborne Refuelling Regulations’ and ‘Marine Methanol Fuel,’ were initiated by China Marine Bunker (CHIMBUSCO), a shipping service company under COSCO Shipping.

COSCO noted that apart from the release of the new standards, China Classification Society (CCS) and Bureau Veritas (BV) issued the 7,800-ton dual-fuel powered green methanol bunkering vessel AiP certificates to CHIMBUSCO and COSCO Shipping Heavy Industry.

According to Zhao Yan, Vice President of CCS, the vessel has been designed with the concept of a ‘full life cycle’ and features twin engines and twin oars, a domestically made four-stroke methanol dual-fuel main engine, a liquid cargo pump in the form of a machine belt, a pre-installed berthing perception system and a remote-control refuelling arm operation system.

Alex Gregg-Smith, Senior Vice President of BV, noted that the vessel is the first of its kind designed in China and represents a milestone in the shipping industry’s decarbonization efforts.

The release of the standards, along with the approval of the green methanol bunkering vessel, signifies a major step towards completing the first green methanol refuelling technology chain in China, COSCO said, adding that the achievement is complemented by the establishment of relevant methanol refuelling guidelines and inspection specifications by CCS and BV.

To remind, a cooperation project for establishing China’s first green methanol industrial chain which aims to propel shipping’s decarbonization has been officially launched in September 2023.

COSCO Shipping, State Power Investment Corporation (SPIC), Shanghai International Port Group (SIPG) and China Certification & Inspection Group (CCIC) signed a memorandum of cooperation to mark the start of the construction phase of the project, noting that their aim is to drive the implementation of the first batch of green methanol production projects in China.