EU Backs Study Methanol Marine Fuel Study

The European Union will support with €11.2 million from the TEN-T Program a study followed by real life trials to look at the use of methanol as a possible maritime fuel of the future. The initiative also contributes to the realization of the “Motorways of the Sea” (TEN-T Priority Project 21) concept.

The study, selected for funding under the 2012 TEN-T Multi-Annual Program, will investigate how methanol could become a cost-effective and environmentally friendly solution for the maritime sector. This latter aspect is especially important as the industry must comply with the ambitious International Maritime Organization and EU sulphur emission reduction targets.

Germany, Sweden and Finland will be taking part in the project, which involves the installation and testing of methanol on an existing passenger vessel operating on the short sea route between Gothenburg, Sweden and Kiel, Germany. In addition to retrofitting the vessel, the test phase will also create the appropriate port infrastructure for the supply of methanol for bunkering. A bunker vessel and a storage tank will be built in both ports.

The study will be monitored by the Trans-European Transport Network Executive Agency (TEN-T EA) and is set to be completed by December 2015.