Haigang Zhiyuan, a methanol bunkering vessel, successfully completes the bunkering of domestic-produced biomethanol to methanol-powered containership CMA CGM Osmium, which flies the Maltese flag. Photo: Screenshot from yicai.com

Shanghai Port has for the first time successfully completed simultaneously the bunkering of two types of green fuel for two international vessels at the offshore anchorage, marking a milestone in the port’s ability to provide diversified and large-scale marine fuel supplies, chinanews.com reported on Sunday. 

Haigang Zhiyuan, a methanol bunkering vessel, successfully completed the bunkering of domestic-produced biomethanol to methanol-powered containership CMA CGM Osmium, which flies the Maltese flag, while Haigang Weilai, a liquefied natural gas (LNG) bunkering vessel, successfully completed the bunkering of LNG to Kota Elan, a Singapore-flagged dual-fuel LNG container ship at the Lühuashan Anchorage off Shanghai from Saturday to Sunday. 

Most of the biomethanol supplied in the bunkering operation was produced by Shanghai Electric’s Taonan project. Which means the methanol feedstock was transported by land from Taonan, in Northeast China’s Jilin Province, to Dalian Port in Northeast China’s Liaoning Province, then shipped by sea to storage tanks in Shanghai, before being used for vessel bunkering at Shanghai Port. This established a cross-regional supply chain linking production in Jilin, transshipment in Dalian and bunkering in Shanghai, said the report. 

The cross-provincial supply chain from Northeast China to Shanghai expands the market for domestic biomethanol and highlights progress in building a north-to-south green fuel transportation corridor, according to the report. 

Haigang Weilai, a liquefied natural gas (LNG) bunkering vessel, completes the bunkering of LNG to Kota Elan, a Singapore-flagged dual-fuel LNG container ship. Photo: Screenshot from yicai.com

According to the Yangshan Border Inspection Station, the two vessels receiving the bunkering service have different sailing schedules. the CMA CGM Osmium is en route from Qingdao in Shandong Province to Ningbo in Zhejiang Province via Shanghai, while the newly built Kota Elan will conduct sea trials after bunkering. 

Completing clean-fuel bunkering at an anchorage cuts berth, tugboat and pilotage costs, and reduces vessel waiting times, which lowers the energy replenishment costs for international vessels and strengthens Shanghai Port’s overall competitiveness as a shipping hub, chinanews.com reported. 

Global Times