Proman and Bahri, have announced a five-year agreement for Bahri Chemicals, a Bahri business unit, to time-charter two methanol-powered ships, Stena Provident and Stena Progressive, to transport various products globally.
The vessels were officially named during a ceremony hosted at Guangzhou Shipyard International (GSI) in China in November 2023 where both ships were built. The vessels are the final two of an initial six-strong methanol-fuelled tanker fleet commissioned through the partnership between Proman and Stena Bulk.
The state-of-the-art IMOIIMeMAX ships are highly efficient dual-fuel tankers with Marineline coating that can be used to ship a wide variety of cargo, bulk products, and chemicals.
Since the delivery of the Stena Pro Patria in 2022, the first vessel of the IMOIIMeMAX fleet, operational efficiency has been demonstrated by the low EEDI (Energy Efficiency Design Index) value. Phase 3 of the EEDI requires all vessels built from 2022 to achieve at least a 30% reduction in carbon intensity (grams CO2 per ton-mile) by 2025, and the Stena Pro Patria has already delivered 11% below this level, setting a new benchmark for methanol-fuelled tankers.
Compared with conventional marine fuel, methanol cuts nitrogen oxides (NOx) by up to 80 percent and virtually eliminates sulphur oxides (SOx) and particulate matter, delivering immediate cleaner air benefits. It is also biodegradable in water, compatible with existing technology, easy to handle, and widely available at over 120 ports globally.
Since methanol’s properties are the same no matter how it is produced, methanol from different feedstocks and with the use of Carbon Capture technology can be blended or produced at a lower carbon intensity as production of green methanol ramps up. This offers a credible pathway that allows vessel owners to take the long-term investment decisions needed to allow their vessels to comply today and throughout their operational life.
