Americas News
Canadian Chemical Shipper Plans to Buy Methanol-Fuelled Engines
A Vancouver, Canada chemical shipping company plans to use methanol fuelled engines, according to the engines' developer, MAN Diesel & Turbo (MAN Diesel).
Waterfront Shipping, a subsidiary of Methanex Corp., has signed a letter of intent with MAN Diesel for the use of four engines of a new type called ME-LGI, which will run on a blend of 95 percent methanol and 5 percent diesel fuel.
"Methanol is a sulphur-free fuel and provides many environmental and clean burning benefits," said Waterfront Shipping President Jone Hognestad.
"In using methanol-based marine fuel, we can reduce emissions and fuel costs at the same time."
MAN Diesel said the new engine allows methanol and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) carriers to us a fraction of their cargo to power the vessels.
"With increasing fuel prices and upcoming shipping regulations, we identified the need to develop an engine that can enable ships to run on alternative fuels with environmental benefits," said MAN Diesel Senior Vice President Ole Grøne.
"The ability of our ME-LGI engine to run on a sulphur-free fuel offers great potential."
Earlier this year, Douglas Raitt of Lloyd's Register said the shipping industry should look at alternative fuels including methanol, and Det Norske Veritas recently said it is issuing guidelines on the use of the fuel.
