Asia/Pacific News
Fratelli Cosulich Orders Green Methanol & Biofuel Bunker Tanker
Fratelli Cosulich Group today announced it has ordered a dual-fuel methanol-powered 7,990 dwt bunker tanker that will also feature a battery storage system.
With a capacity of over 8,000 m3, its cargo tanks will be coated to enable carrying both green methanol and biofuels.
IMO Type II chemical vessel will be built at Taizhou Maple Leaf Shipbuilding Co., Ltd in China and has a delivery date of 4Q 2025.
Design features include twin fixed pitch propellers, each driven by an electrical motor via gear box, three MAN Energy Solutions' dual-fuelled generator sets and an onboard battery storage system to help optimise generator use.
The bunkering vessel is set for deployment in the Port of Singapore under a fixed-rate time charter contract with Trafigura, delivering fuels for its TFG Marine unit, Singapore's second largest bunker supplier in 2023.
Interest in methanol saw a huge increase last year, with the alternative fuel named as the top choice in 2023 for alternatively-fuelled ship orders.
"We believe in a multi-fuel future and this is an additional important step by our Group in that direction, after having built two LNG bunker vessels," said Guido Cardullo, Head of Business Development of Fratelli Cosulich Group.
"With this important investment, the Group wants to reaffirm its commitment to decarbonisation. We are also proud of strengthening our relationship with the Trafigura Group, a market leader in the global commodities industry."
Adding his thoughts to the developments, Kenneth Dam, TFG Marine's Global Head of Bunkering, said: "The vessel has been designed to our technical specifications, including stringent safety considerations, so that it can be continually powered by methanol. Delivery of the vessel in the last quarter of 2025 should coincide with growing demand for methanol as a bunker fuel from shipowners.
"Deploying a vessel powered by a renewable fuel such as green methanol also helps TFG Marine to meet its licence requirement with and TFG's commitment to the Maritime & Port Authority of Singapore (MPA)."
