EMEA News
Fugro Converts Ship to Methanol Propulsion
Geo-data firm Fugro is converting one of its vessels to run on green methanol.
The company has completed the first stage of the retrofit of the geophysical vessel Fugro Pioneer in which its main components on board were converted, the company said in a statement on its website this week.
The vessel is now ready to be equipped with its new methanol-fuelled engines, which the company expects to happen in the second half of 2024.
The conversion is being carried out as part of the Fugro-led consortium MENENS (Methanol as Energy Step Towards Emission-free Dutch Shipping), with a grant from the Netherlands Enterprise Agency.
"The methanol conversion of the Fugro Pioneer is not only a pivotal move in diminishing our vessel emissions as part of our Net Zero 2035 journey, but it also stimulates the green methanol market," Barbara Geelen, CFO of Fugro, said in the statement.
"We will continue to invest in innovative solutions that not only help our clients, but also support us in reaching our company objectives."
Methanol is rapidly gaining in popularity as an alternative marine fuel, driven in large part by Maersk's confidence in it, with orders of methanol-fuelled tonnage now coming in regularly from a variety of shipping segments. The main challenge for this market will be the scaling-up of green methanol supply in time to meet the needs of the new ships as they are delivered.
