Asia/Pacific News
India Continues Push for Methanol Bunkers
Nitin Gadkari, India's Minister for Road Transport & Highways, and Shipping, wants the country to use "pollution-free" methanol bunkers, rather then diesel, to power vessels part of a new water transit system in the country, according to local media reports.
"We want to discourage road traffic and promote public [transport] and water transport," the Economic Times quoted the minister as saying.
"We are creating 40 river ports with three-metre draft and will have a river traffic control on the lines of air traffic control."
The comments follow previous positive comments by Gadkari over the use of the alternative bunker fuel, having said in August that compared to diesel it would cost less and offer a better calorific value.
"We are studying deeply how to use methanol as a marine fuel," Gadkari said at the time.
Despite the widespread global availability of methanol thanks to its use as a feedstock for the chemicals industry, its use as a marine fuel has been limited to date.
However, interest in methanol bunkers has grown in recent years following the tightening of emissions regulations for shipping. Methanol burns in marine engines virtually sulfur free while also offering substantial reductions on NOx and particulate matter.
