On the morning of 27 May, X-Press Feeders' methanol dual-fuel container ship completed a simultaneous methanol refuelling and loading/unloading operation at Tuas Port in Singapore, which took about four hours and involved the refuelling of nearly 300 tonnes of bio-methanol, signalling that the Port of Singapore is ready for commercial methanol refuelling operations.
The simultaneous methanol refuelling and loading/unloading operation will shorten the docking time of vessels, thereby reducing fuel consumption and costs, and strengthening the Port of Singapore's hub position. Previously, in July 2023, the Port of Singapore completed the world's first ship-to-container methanol refuelling operation, and in December 2023, the Maritime Authority of Singapore (MAS) issued an Expression of Interest (EOI) inviting proposals for an end-to-end solution for methanol bunkering.
Speaking at a media briefing, X-Press Feeders president Shmuel Yoskovitz and chief operating officer Minghui Wu pointed out that while the vessel is refuelling with bio-methanol, the crew is also using the bridge and AGVs to load and unload containers. Joskowitz explained that the simultaneous refuelling and loading/unloading operations help to reduce turnaround times. In this way, the ship sailing between different ports, the speed can be slower, fuel consumption will be reduced accordingly, and thus reduce the overall cost of the voyage. If the technology is rolled out, refuelling with fuels such as methanol will become very easy in the future. He believes that the technology is still very new and believes that Singapore and other ports will put in place the appropriate infrastructure to support the development of the technology.
The Maritime Authority of Singapore (MAS) was also involved in assisting with the refuelling and loading/unloading operations. The MAS said that during normal refuelling operations, the risks include fuel spillage and leakage due to equipment or human error or accidents; during simultaneous operations, the crew has to manage the risks of refuelling and cargo at the same time, making the task even more difficult. To ensure safety, the Maritime Administration has worked closely with the parties concerned to ensure that crew members are competent in handling methanol as a marine fuel and have received relevant emergency response training.
Previously, on 10 April, Shanghai Port successfully refuelled 504 tonnes of green methanol for the Astrid Maersk, a large methanol-powered container ship, at Yangshan Port's Guandong Terminal, realising the simultaneous loading and unloading of containers and the refuelling of methanol fuel. At present, only the ports of Shanghai and Singapore have achieved the simultaneous operation of methanol refuelling and loading/unloading.
https://www.cnss.com.cn/html/gkdt/20240529/353491.html
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