THE Port of Shanghai completed China's first-ever methanol ship-to-ship bunkering operation, marking a significant milestone for the Chinese maritime industry, reports China Daily.

The Shanghai International Port Group is leading this important event, highlighting the city's rising prominence as a significant worldwide shipping hub dedicated to eco-friendly and sustainable operations.The Haigang Zhiyuan, China's first operational methanol fuel bunkering vessel, supplied 504 tonnes of environmentally friendly methanol to the 16,000-TEU Astrid Maersk, a methanol-powered vessel, during the operation at the Yangshan Port in the Port of Shanghai.The Port of Shanghai is firmly established as the country's central hub with cutting-edge ship-to-ship methanol bunkering capabilities.This project not only represents the first attempt at methanol bunkering for a large container vessel in China.The Haigang Zhiyuan, measuring 139.98 metres in length, 11.2 metres in depth, and 20.2 metres in breadth, is the world's largest methanol bunkering ship and the first in China.The Shanghai Municipal Transportation Commission has pointed out that using renewable methanol instead of conventional fuels can reduce greenhouse gas emissions by up to 95 per cent, making it an appealing choice.The demand for green methanol fuel bunkering will rise significantly shortly, given that over 200 fuel-powered vessels have been ordered worldwide.Furthermore, the Shanghai port's successful bunkering operation advances the city's capacity to serve as a worldwide shipping hub.It also advances the maritime industry's larger objective of transitioning to a low-carbon, green economy.

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