In June 2024, COSCO Shipping Heavy Industries (Guangdong) signed a construction contract for four 7,999DWT methanol fuel bunkering vessels with Singaporean shipowner Consort Bunkers.
With the successive launch of a series of new policies such as the 2023 IMO Strategy on Reduction of GHG Emissions from Ships and the European Union’s Fuel EU Maritime, the pace of development of new energy ships around the world is further accelerated.
Under the background of global carbon reduction and domestic dual-carbon strategy, the application of methanol fuel for ships is developing rapidly, and the demand for methanol fuel refueling is becoming more and more urgent.
The signing of the 7999DWT methanol bunkering vessel series project is a major initiative of COSCO Shipping Heavy Industries (Guangdong) to focus on the two “new tracks” in the new transformation of the manufacturing business, and to implement the requirements of “accelerating the formation of new quality productive forces” and “enhancing the development of new driving forces”.
It is reported that the vessels are equipped with twin engines, twin propellers and bow thrusters, which are not only capable of loading product oil, but also have the loading capacity of Class II chemicals, and can be suitable for loading fuels such as methyl alcohol, fatty acid methyl ester, biodiesel, etc., which will effectively boost the shipping industry to reduce carbon and emissions.