Lloyd’s Register and The Methanol Institute have issued a bunkering technical reference to help shipowners, ports and bunker suppliers understand the processes and procedures required for the safe use of methanol as a marine fuel.
In line with an increased focus on shipping decarbonization, the guide provides checklists for shipowners, suppliers and port authorities to become more familiar with methanol bunkering and help accelerate its use.
Methanol bunkering is not that dissimilar to marine gasoil bunkering, however there are some challenges with regards to the toxicity of methanol, and in firefighting, but these can be safely navigated.
The Technical Reference provides operational safety management protocols which, when applied, would significantly reduce the low-flashpoint fuel concerns, and other challenges previously mentioned, with methanol bunkering. As it is already in use on product tankers, ferries and harbour craft, the Technical Reference will allow other ship type sectors to consider methanol as a candidate fuel in the transition to full decarbonization.
If the industry starts to use methanol now with lower carbon emissions, it would then be able to transition over time to net-zero carbon emissions as we evolve from grey, to blue to green methanol in the next 10 to 20 years,
…LR noted.
LNG, methanol, ammonia and hydrogen are all low-flashpoint fuels, but only LNG is currently well established under the IMO’s IGF code. Methanol, ammonia and hydrogen still have some way to go to be formally established within the IGF Code.
As a first step, a Circular covering the Interim Guidelines on the use of such a fuel onboard ships is to be considered for approval by the IMO’s MSC 102, which is re-scheduled to take place this week (4-11 November 2020), LR informed.
See also: EU consortium explores commercialisation of methanol as green marine fuel
Methanol Bunkering Checklists & Process Flows
(These Checklists are generic in nature. It is for individual users, either on the Supplier or Ship sides, to take into account all the factors relevant to their specific circumstances, and on that basis adapt these generic Checklists to cover their own particular requirements.)
1.Ship Bunker Loading – Checklist Pack
- Preparation to Bunker
- Ready to Bunker
- Bunker Loading
2 . Ship Portable Tank Loading – Checklist Pack
- Preparation to Bunker
- Ready to Bunker
- Bunker Loading
3. Barge, Truck, Terminal Supplier to Ship (to be part of checklists pack 1, 5, 6 and 7)
- Bunker Safety + Bunker Completion Checklist
4. Portable Tank Supplier and Ship – Portable Tank (to be part of checklists pack 2 and 8)
- Bunker Safety + Bunker Completion (Portable Tanks) Checklist
5. Barge Supplier – Checklist Pack
- Preparation to Deliver (general)
- Preparation to Deliver to Ship + Ready to Deliver to Ship
- Bunker Delivery
6. Terminal Supplier – Checklist Pack
- Preparation to Deliver (General)
- Preparation to Deliver to Ship + Ready to Deliver to Ship
- Bunker Delivery
7. Truck Supplier – Checklist Pack
- Preparation to Deliver (General)
- Preparation to Deliver to Ship + Ready to Deliver to Ship
- Bunker Delivery
8. Truck Portable Tank Supply – Checklist Pack
- Preparation to Deliver Portable Tank (General)
- Preparation to Deliver Portable Tank to Ship + Ready to Deliver Portable Tank to Ship
- Portable Tank Delivery
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