MOL, MOL Coastal Shipping, Tabuchi Kaiun, Niihama Kaiun, Murakami Hide Shipbuilding, and The Hanshin Diesel Works, have agreed to form strategic alliance in order to reduce environmental impact through the development of a methanol-fueled domestic tanker.
The vessel development project, which targets delivery of the ship in 2024, was selected to receive public funding through the Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) and Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT), “Subsidy for ‘Project on Transport Efficiency improvement Utilizing using AI/IoT (Demonstration Project on Domestic Ship Innovative Operation Efficiency)”.
According to the partners, methanol can reduce SOx emissions by up to 99%, particulate matter (PM) by up to 95%, nitrogen oxide (NOx) by up to 80%, and carbon dioxide (CO2) by up to 15%, compared to vessels using conventional fuel oil.
Methanol has outstanding properties for use as a fuel, as it is liquid at normal temperatures and normal air pressure. Methanol fuel has been more widely introduced on ocean-going vessels as an environmentally friendly fuel, including four MOL Group-operated ships, but this will be the first methanol-fueled Domestic ship
said MOL.
In addition, methanol can be produced with CO2 and hydrogen as raw material, so in the future, it can be produced by utilizing the CO2 capture and transport business to synthesize hydrogen, which uses electricity derived from renewable resources such as offshore wind power and wave power.
The six alliance partners will each orchestrate their advantages in technology, expertise, and networks aiming to realize a decarbonized society.