Fratelli Cosulich orders its first methanol dual-fueled bunker tanker in China

Italian maritime transportation group Fratelli Cosulich has ordered its first methanol dual-fueled chemical bunker tanker with a capacity of over 8,000 cubic meters and the ability to carry both green methanol and biofuels.

According to Fratelli Cosulich, the order for the 7,990 dwt IMO Type II chemical vessel was placed on December 15, 2023. The ship will be built at Taizhou Maple Leaf Shipbuilding in China.

The vessel is scheduled for delivery in the last quarter of 2025. As disclosed, the newbuild will be located at the Port of Singapore under a fixed-rate time charter contract with global commodities trader Trafigura.

It will be deployed to deliver marine fuels for TFG Marine, Trafigura’s international marine fuel supply and procurement joint venture with shipowning companies Frontline and Golden Ocean Group.

The vessel will have twin fixed pitch propellers, each driven by an electrical motor via gear box, and three dual-fueled generator sets supplied by MAN Energy Solutions. An onboard battery storage system will optimize the use of the dual-fueled generators.

“We believe in a multi-fuel future and this is an additional important step by our Group in that direction, after having built two LNG bunker vessels. With this important investment, the Group wants to reaffirm its commitment to decarbonisation. We are also proud of strengthening our relationship with the Trafigura Group, a market leader in the global commodities industry,” said Guido Cardullo, Head of Business Development of Fratelli Cosulich Group.

“The vessel has been designed to our technical specifications, including stringent safety considerations, so that it can be continually powered by methanol. Delivery of the vessel in the last quarter of 2025 should coincide with growing demand for methanol as a bunker fuel from shipowners,” added Kenneth Dam, TFG Marine’s Global Head of Bunkering.

“Deploying a vessel powered by a renewable fuel such as green methanol also helps TFG Marine to meet its license requirement with and TFG’s commitment to the Maritime & Port Authority of Singapore (MPA).”

Following an increased interest in methanol as viable marine fuel, the global order book for methanol-fueled ships has been gaining ground and many shipping companies have included methanol in their decarbonization strategy. The Port of Singapore is also undertaking necessary planning to ensure a steady supply of methanol from 2025 onwards in order to meet these future bunkering needs.