Maersk and Hong Lam Marine Pte Ltd have successfully conducted the world’s first
ship-to-containership methanol bunkering operation of a Maersk’s container vessel on 27 Jul
2023 at the Raffles Reserved Anchorage in Singapore, with the support of the Maritime and
Port Authority of Singapore (MPA), government agencies and research institutes. This is also
Singapore’s first methanol bunkering operation.
2. Maersk’s container vessel – the world’s first container vessel sailing on green
methanol1 – was successfully refuelled with approximately 300 metric tonnes of bio-methanol
via Hong Lam Marine’s Singapore-registered tanker, MT Agility, for its onward maiden
passage to Copenhagen. MT Agility had earlier taken bio-methanol stored at Vopak
Terminals. The container vessel will be named in a ceremony in Copenhagen in September.
Thorough Preparations to Ensure Safety
3. In preparation for the methanol bunkering operation in Singapore, MPA worked with
over 28 agencies, partners and institutes to organise table-top exercises (TTX) and
workshops, before carrying out a Ground Deployment Exercise (GDX). The first TTX2 was
held during Singapore Maritime Week 2023 to identify safety measures and clarify roles and
responsibilities for a coordinated cross-agency response to a methanol incident at sea. A
separate Hazard Identification (HAZID) and Hazard and Operability Study (HAZOP)
workshop3 was conducted to identify potential risks and develop corresponding prevention,
control, and mitigation methods. These were further evaluated during a second TTX4 and a
GDX at sea in July 2023 with various stakeholders and government agencies5. Customised
methanol firefighting programme was also conducted by the Co-operative of SCDF
Employees Ltd (COSEM) for MPA staff and Hong Lam Marine crew members as part of the
preparations for the bunkering operation.
4. As part of the risk and environmental impact assessment for the methanol bunkering
operation, MPA reviewed methanol-related incidents globally and worked with the
Meteorological Service of Singapore to provide advance lightning risk warning if required. A
methanol plume model was jointly developed by the Institute of High Performance Computing
(IHPC), A*STAR, Tropical Marine Science Institute (TMSI), National University of Singapore,
and the Technology Centre for Offshore and Marine, Singapore (TCOMS), to forecast the
dispersion path of the methanol plume in an event of an accidental methanol release and
guide operations. The model is a combination of dispersion in the air layer using computational
fluid dynamics by IHPC, weather forecast and air quality modelling by TMSI, and plume
dispersion in the sea via metocean modelling and prediction by TCOMS. During the methanol
bunkering operation, researchers from the Cambridge Centre for Advanced Research and
Education in Singapore flew drones equipped with methanol detector with plume modelling
capabilities and infrared camera from MPA’s patrol craft MPA Guardian to augment the
detection of potential methanol leaks into the atmosphere and methanol flames in an event of
an accidental leak. These novel capabilities will be further enhanced to support the review of
responses to maritime incidents and raise the preparedness of seafarers, marine
professionals, and the port ecosystem in Singapore as new marine fuels such as methanol
are introduced.
5. A Technical Reference (TR) for methanol bunkering is being developed by MPA in
consultation with the Standards Development Organisation at Singapore Chemical Industry
Council (SDO@SCIC). The TR will cover the refuelling requirements, operational and safety
requirements for delivery of methanol from a bunker tanker to receiving vessels, crew training
and competency. Best practices learnt from this bunkering operation will also inform the
development of specialised bunker vessels, mass flow meters, digital bunkering and other
standards.
6. Aside from the development of the Technical Reference, MPA will continue to develop
other operational and safety protocols, licensing requirements, training of seafarers and
professionals, and study infrastructure needs such as terminal facilities and methanol carrying
bunker tankers, to fully operationalise methanol bunkering. Learnings from the bunkering
operation will also be presented to partners and international bodies such as the International
Maritime Organization later this year to support the safe adoption of methanol as a marine
fuel.
Milestone in Singapore’s green shipping future
7. The successful completion of the methanol bunkering operation is a significant
milestone for Singapore’s development towards a multi-fuel future, and a testament to
Singapore’s commitment as the world’s largest bunkering hub to meet the new marine fuel
needs of international shipping through safe and efficient bunkering operations. More
methanol bunkering operations are being planned in the coming year as methanol-enabled
vessels are delivered globally.
8. Mr Teo Eng Dih, Chief Executive, MPA, said “The success of the methanol bunkering
operation is a result of nearly a year’s preparations with various government agencies,
research institutes, international collaborators, and industry to develop rigorous safety
procedures through in-depth operational and risk assessments, modelling, and validation. This
operation will help inform the development of the various standards, including the Technical
Reference for methanol bunkering operations in Singapore, and guide our approach for future
pilots and trials of new marine fuels. We thank A.P. Moller-Maersk, Hong Lam Marine,
American Bureau of Shipping, Mitsui & Co., OCI Global, Stellar Shipmanagement and Vopak
for their joint efforts with Singapore-based agencies in operationalising methanol bunkering
capability and we welcome partners to work with us to accelerate maritime decarbonisation.”
9. Mr Morten Bo Christensen, Head of Energy Transition at A.P. Moller – Maersk, said
“A.P. Moller - Maersk is excited to collaborate with the Maritime and Port Authority of
Singapore, Mitsui & Co., American Bureau of Shipping and Hong Lam Marine on the maiden
voyage of the world’s first container vessel sailing on green methanol. This journey is an
important step in our efforts to reach net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2040, as it will
allow us to gain the necessary operational experience to operate the new engines and the fuel
provided by OCI Global ahead of the arrival of our larger methanol-enabled vessels in the
coming years.”
10. Mr Lim Teck Cheng, Executive Chairman, Hong Lam Marine, said “We are deeply
honoured to be a part of Singapore’s first STS methanol bunkering. This goes with our
absolute commitment to provide a safe and environmentally friendly option to decarbonise the
marine industry in line with IMO’s GHG emissions targets. This remarkable achievement
marks a milestone and demonstrates our commitment to sustainability and environmental
responsibility, and we believe this will be a significant step in accelerating the development of
methanol bunkering in Singapore. We would like to express our gratitude to our partners
Maersk Oil Trading and the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore for their collaboration
and support in this endeavour. Together, we can make a positive difference for planet earth
and a more sustainable future.”
11. Mr Panos Koutsourakis, Vice President, Global Sustainability, ABS, said “We are
proud to have collaborated with Maersk, Mitsui, Hong Lam Marine and the MPA to develop
the methanol bunkering safety procedures and checklists. This is an important advance on
our industry’s sustainability journey, with a laser focus on safety. Green methanol holds
significant promise to contribute to the decarbonisation of our industry and ABS has been
leading the way by supporting its adoption. This vessel and her successors now on order are
a vital step in creating more sustainable global supply chains.”
12. Mr. Takuya Shirai, the Chief Operating Officer of Mobility Business Unit II of Mitsui &
Co. Ltd., said "We are extremely proud to be part of this epoch-making project from the very
beginning. We believe that the success of this ship-to-ship methanol bunkering operation in
the port of Singapore is only possible with the close collaborating partnership among A.P.
Moller-Maersk, the American Bureau of Shipping, Hong Lam Marine, the Maritime and the
Port Authority of Singapore and relevant supporters in this project. It represents a remarkable
milestone to the journey towards the decarbonisation of global shipping. Through this project
and other GHG reduction initiatives, Mitsui is committed to the realisation of a carbon neutral
society."
13. Mr. Bashir Lebada, Chief Executive Officer, OCI Methanol / OCI HyFuels, said “We
are very proud to be the vessel’s fuel partner, making the world’s first green methanol-fuelled
container ship journey a reality. The successful bunkering operation in Singapore is a
testament to the hard work of the MPA and all the involved parties, and this maiden voyage
proves that we can achieve the marine industry’s global greenhouse gas emissions reduction
targets using green methanol. Singapore will be an essential hub for us as we scale our green
methanol and ammonia bunker business, and we look forward to working with our local
partners there to accelerate the shift to cleaner fuels in shipping.”
14. Kelvin Kang, General Manager, Stellar Shipmanagement, said “Stellar
Shipmanagement is delighted to be part of this HAZID/HAZOP and TTX discussion group for
the methanol bunkering operation. These discussions are very important and helpful to our
newbuilding methanol bunker tankers under construction currently, including layout, cargo
handling, safety features as well as safe operation procedures. On behalf of our parent
company Global Energy Group, we appreciate MPA’s continuous support to the bunkering
industry in Singapore and the quest to make Singapore as the front runner in the development
of the methanol bunkering.”
15. Rob Boudestijn, President, Business Unit Singapore, Vopak, said “We congratulate
Singapore on this important milestone and are proud to be a partner in completing this
methanol bunkering operation safely. As a reliable infrastructure provider for maritime
bunkering over the past 40 years, we look forward to playing a leading role in enabling
Singapore’s maritime decarbonisation journey in the multi-fuelled future.”
