Methanol as an alternative fuel for smaller vessels
Interest in methanol as an alternative fuel for meeting emissions requirements continues to grow, and there are currently both a retrofit solution for a large Ro-Pax ferry and chemical tanker newbuilding projects underway. Methanol is also a good alternative for smaller ships operating on coastal and inland waterways, but has yet to be tested in these applications. SSPA is coordinator of a new project, “Sustainable Marine Methanol” (SUMMETH), which is focused on developing methanol solutions for smaller vessels.
Low emissions with methanol
Methanol is a sulphur-free and clean-burning alcohol that produces very low particulate emissions when combusted. Emissions of nitrogen oxides are also lower than for conventional fuels, with amounts depending on combustion concept and temperature. Although shipping is considered one of the “greenest” modes of transport, it is still a significant source of SOx, NOx, and particulate emissions, which have impacts on human health and the environment.
Smaller vessels often operate on coastal and inland waterways close to populated areas, and have an impact on air quality in these areas. Emission-reduction solutions for these vessels mostly involve switching to a cleaner conventional distillate fuel, as commercial marine engines for alcohols such as methanol are not yet available in the smaller engine segment. Although there are some smaller engines available that run on LNG, which is also a clean fuel, the infrastructure for LNG marine fuel supply is very limited. Requirements for methanol infrastructure are much simpler as it is a liquid at ambient temperature, and already widely distributed as a chemical commodity.
Development of methanol marine engines and fuel systems
One of the main goals of the SUMMETH project is to test and evaluate different methanol combustion concepts in a laboratory and to identify the best alternatives for the smaller marine engine segment. The work is focused on engines with power up to about 1200 kW and both Otto and diesel combustion concepts will be considered. The Stena Germanica project demonstrated that large engines (6000 kW) can be successfully converted to run on methanol. The SUMMETH project aims to show that this can also be done for smaller engines and vessels.
Methanol supply and infrastructure
Handling and storage of methanol is similar to that of liquid fuels such as diesel or gasoline. Thus it is considered to be relatively inexpensive to provide infrastructure for methanol fuel storage and distribution at smaller ports.
Methanol is widely used in the chemical industry in Europe and there is an established transport and distribution infrastructure in place. However, there is currently no specific infrastructure for marine fuels and the SUMMETH project will investigate possibilities for this. The feasibility of using renewable methanol as marine fuel will also be investigated.
Renewable methanol for lower greenhouse gas emissions
Although renewable methanol currently constitutes only a very small percentage of the methanol on the market, it has great potential for reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from shipping. Renewable methanol can be produced from many feedstocks, including municipal or industrial waste, biomass, and carbon dioxide. Methanol produced from wood, also called wood alcohol, may be one of the first examples of methanol production. In Sweden, renewable methanol has been produced via gasification of black liquor from a pulp mill.
Reductions in GHG emissions from renewable methanol on a “well-to-propeller” basis can be in the vicinity of 90% compared to emissions from conventional fuel use. Reductions depend on the feedstock and production method for the fuel.
Regulations for low-flashpoint fuels
Methanol is a low-flashpoint fuel and guidelines are currently in draft for incorporation into the International Maritime Organization’s recently adopted International Code of Safety for Ships Using Gases or Other Low-Flashpoint Fuels (IGF Code).
The risk and safety analysis carried out for the SPIRETH project (Alcohol (Spirits) and Ethers as Marine Fuel), which was co-coordinated by SSPA and ScandiNAOS and tested methanol and DME as ship fuels, contributed to the development of the IGF code. It also contributed to the development of ship classification society rules for methanol as a ship fuel. The SUMMETH project will include a safety analysis for a methanol conversion of a road ferry and contribute to the development of safety measures for this ship type.
Growing interest in methanol
Other recent projects and developments regarding the use of methanol as ship fuel include the delivery in April 2016 of three methanol dualfuel chemical carriers to be chartered by Waterfront Shipping – these are the first newbuild vessels to use methanol as a fuel.
SSPA recently completed a study for the European Maritime Safety Agency on the use of methanol and ethanol as alternative fuels in shipping, with results presented at the European Sustainable Shipping Forum in January 2016. As well a 2016 report by the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre on alternative fuels for marine and inland waterways concluded that methanol and LNG are currently the most promising for shipping.
These and other studies are showing that methanol is a viable alternative fuel for improving the environmental performance of shipping.
The SUMMETH project consortium consists of SSPA Sweden (project coordinator), ScandiNAOS (technical coordinator), Lund University, VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland, Scania AB, Marine Benchmark, Swedish Transport Administration Road Ferries, and the Swedish Maritime Technology Forum. The project is supported by the MARTEC II network and co-funded by the Swedish Maritime Administration, Region Västra Götaland, the Methanol Institute and Oiltanking Finland Oy. Read more at the project website www.summeth.marinemethanol.com
Photos and illustrations:
The SUMMETH project will investigate the conversion of smaller vessels such as road ferries and pilot boats to methanol operation to reduce emissions of air pollutants. Photo: Joanne Ellis.
Sustainable methanol can be produced from renewables such as residue from the forest industry.
Methanol, with the chemical formula CH3OH, is sulphur-free and burns cleanly, resulting in low emissions.
Sustainable Marine Methanol solutions for smaller vessels
SUMMETH, the Sustainable Marine Methanol project, which investigated and advanced development of methanol engine and fuel solutions for smaller ships, has recently been completed and the final reports are now available. SSPA was project manager and contributed with environmental assessments, feasibility of sustainable methanol supply, and safety assessment.
GreenPilot project shares results
The GreenPilot project has converted a pilot boat to methanol operation to show how a methanol conversion of a smaller vessel can be carried out in practice and to demonstrate the emissions reductions that can be achieved. The project and the partners are ready to share their latest results at the Nor-Shipping exhibition in Norway, and a seminar will be held in Sweden in June. SSPA is committed to developing sustainable solutions for shipping and we have dedicated experts as part of the project team.
Methanol and Ethanol as Marine Fuels
A study for the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA) on the use of methanol and ethanol as marine fuels has been completed by SSPA, together with sub-contractor Lloyds Register. The study evaluates the potential of these alternative fuels as solutions for shipping to meet more stringent emissions requirements.
GreenPilot project kick-off seminar
A seminar was held to introduce the recently initiated GreenPilot project and present the status of methanol as a marine fuel. SSPA is a partner in the project, which has the goal of converting a pilot boat to methanol operation to show how a methanol conversion of a smaller vessel can be carried out in practice.
Methanol, an alternative fuel for greener shipping
Methanol is a promising alternative fuel for reducing emissions and improving the environmental performance of shipping. Interest in this fuel is growing, and SSPA was co-coordinator of an important pilot project to demonstrate the use of methanol fuel on-board a ship and in adapted marine engines.
SPIRETH - Methanol as marine fuel
The main goal of the SPIRETH (“Alcohol (spirits) and ethers as marine fuel”) project was to test methanol-based fuels in a full scale pilot project, to contribute to finding the best environmental and economic alternative for a sustainable and successful maritime transport industry.