Stena and Proman to collaborate on methanol as fuel

Swedish shipowning group, Stena, and Switzerland-based fertiliser and methanol producer, Proman, have announced plans to convert existing ships and build new ones designed to use methanol as fuel. The companies’ Retrofit and Supply service will enable Stena’s own vessels, as well as ships owned by third parties, to undergo the necessary conversions.

Stena has already confirmed the merits of using methanol as fuel, having converted the ferry, Stena Germanica, to methanol operation in 2015. Meanwhile, an existing joint venture between Stena Bulk and Proman will see three methanol-ready tankers delivered in 2022 and 2023.

In a statement, the companies said that methanol offers “the only clear pathway to a sustainable future”, highlighting that methanol produced from natural gas will be replaced with renewable and sustainable product in the future. Its biodegradable and water-soluble characteristics also reduce risks to marine environments, they said.

Proman chief executive, David Cassidy, commented: “Methanol is the only available alternative marine fuel that offers immediate emissions reductions, dramatically improving air quality and delivering a clear shipping decarbonisation pathway for 2050 and beyond. Unlike other alternative marine fuels, methanol utilises existing technoloy and is safe and widely available.”