Stolt Tankers became the part of the team that conducted the first-ever ship-to-ship methanol bunkering on a non-tanker vessel, according to the company's release.
Bunkering took place in the Port of Gothenburg on January 23, on Stena Line’s methanol-propelled roll-on/roll-off and passenger vessel Stena Germanica. The ship became the world’s first methanol-powered ferry in 2015 and, until now, it has been bunkered from trucks. Stolt Tankers’ Stolt Sandpiper (operated as part of the E&S Tankers pool) was on hand to safely complete the ship-to-ship bunkering, which represents a significant step in the journey towards methanol becoming a viable greener fuel alternative for ships.
The successful bunkering was a collaborative effort between the Port of Gothenburg, which was the first in the world to publish operating regulations for methanol bunkering in April 2022; Stena Line, the owner of the vessel and the purchaser of the methanol; methanol producer and supplier Methanex; and Stolt Tankers, which carried out the bunkering itself.