Methanol fuel for the maritime industry
Methanol fuel has the potential to transform the marine industry. It is one of many future fuels that can come from renewable sources and can become carbon-neutral. Understanding the different ways you can use it and how you can benefit from it is crucial for a more sustainable future.
What is methanol?
Methanol is a biodegradable, clean-burning fuel type that significantly reduces emissions such as sulfur oxides and nitrogen oxides. In the past, it was mainly used as a chemical base to produce various products such as building materials but also healthcare and medical products. For a considerable period now, methanol has been gaining popularity as a viable alternative for heating, cooking and powering vessels.
One focus area for the development of methanol for vessels is its availability in ports. Methanol is already available in many ports, but facilities and procedures for methanol bunkering need to be implemented.
Furthermore, the use of green methanol is an important aspect. This means that this kind of methanol is only produced by means of renewable energies sources like the sun or wind. Currently, other types of methanol are still predominant. But once the availability and infrastructure are in place, it will be possible for vessels to completely rely on green methanol.
Methanol for shipping
As of now, methanol-fueled engines are mainly used in the marine industry. Container ships, bulk carriers, tankers and car carriers (PCTC) are some of the typical applications.
Methanol marine fuel can be stored at ambient temperatures and therefore doesn’t require additional cryogenic equipment.
Shipping with methanol also gives you the possibility to react to tightening rules, as you have new sales and retrofit options both for two- and four-stroke engines.
Methanol as marine fuel
In a nutshell: Our explanatory video gives a short overview about methanol, its benefits and challenges related to this marine fuel type
Marine methanol fuel products
MAN Energy Solutions offers a variety of methanol marine engines to use in your vessels. Our MAN B&W two-stroke dual-fuel engines are ideal for tankers carrying methanol as cargo, but there is an increasing uptake of orders for all other large merchant vessel-applications.
The latest addition to the four-stroke portfolio are the methanol-fuelled MAN L21/31DF-M GenSet and the MAN L27/38DF-M.
MAN Energy Solutions also offers four-stroke engines which are methanol ready, integrated propulsion systems, and retrofit solutions for existing engines.
All applications are future-proof for the adoption of upcoming methanol operation requirements and can be installed directly.
Frequently asked questions about methanol fuel
What role will methanol play on the path to a decarbonized future?
If we are talking about green methanol that is synthesized from carbon dioxide and hydrogen, then we can achieve CO2-neutral combustion. Moreover, methanol possesses certain advantages in terms of its emission behavior including the reduction of NOx emissions and the absence of SOx or soot emissions for pure methanol combustion. There’s great potential for methanol to play a key role in the maritime energy transition.
What are the methanol fuel advantages and disadvantages?
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Why is methanol used as marine fuel?
Methanol can be used as a liquid fuel, which makes it easier to handle than gaseous fuels like ammonia. Furthermore, it is available in many ports all around the world. Compared to other alternative fuels, methanol provides more energy, which is especially important for vessels with long-distance voyages. Overall, methanol is gaining more and more importance in the marine industry on its way to decarbonization.
What are the challenges of methanol fuel?
The challenges with using methanol as a fuel mainly lie in the fuel system and injection technology, as well as in the optimization of combustion. Further, also the availability of green methanol needs to be upscaled to meet the demands of the market.
Get in touch with our experts
Would you like to learn more about methanol as a marine fuel and what engine is right for your purpose?
Our global network of dedicated experts is happy to point out the perfect-fit solution for you and your business. Start your change process toward carbon neutrality in shipping now and reach out to us today.Download our whitepapers about methanol in shipping and engines
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Methanol in shippingpdf, 8666 KB
In this four-stroke technical paper MAN Energy Solutions provides some insights, guidance and four-stroke technology answers around one of the fuel options that are increasingly being discussed and considered as alternative shipping fuels – Methanol.
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The Methanol-fuelled MAN B&W LGIM enginepdf, 9427 KB
Learn how this methanol two-stroke engine functions and get insights in the service experience of two generations of ME-LGIM engines, that have accumulated more than half a million of running hours.
Learn more about our methanol fuel solutions
Use the deep dive to gain more information about methanol fuel from the expert of MAN Energy Solutions
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Maersk Halifax Retrofit
The world’s first methanol retrofit of the Very Large Container Vessel Maersk Halifax opens the doors for green fuels.
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Methanol dual fuel retrofit
Engineers are now testing a retrofit for four-stroke ship engines that will enable ferry and cruise ship operators to meet the growing requirements on emission reduction with green methanol.
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Methanol fueled ships
Sustainable shipping starts now. Find out more about the first large-scale engines for container ships run on green methanol.
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The benefits of methanol
What makes methanol so attractive for the maritime energy transition? MAN Energy Solutions fuel expert Kjeld Aabo explains.
Other future fuels
Set your course to net zero – new methanol-fuelled GenSet and propulsion engine MAN L27/38DF-M
Watch the recording of our MAN ExpertTalk where you can get insights into the development of the small-bore four-stroke engine MAN L27/38DF-M. You’ll also gain knowledge about its auxiliary and electric propulsion applications and explore the potential of operating this engine on fuels like green methanol and bio-fuel oils.