Shandong Port Group (SPG) completed the ship-to-ship bunkering of green methanol on March 2–3, with the methanol bunkering vessel Jian Hang Li Da pumping 2,500 metric tons of green methanol into two international container ships operated by COSCO Shipping Lines at Qianwan port area of Qingdao Port.

This marks the country's first "one-to-many" green methanol bunkering operation, marking that SPG has officially streamlined the full-chain green methanol bunkering integrating "Shandong production, Shandong transportation and storage and SPG bunkering", emerging as the first port among northern China to provide full-chain green methanol bunkering services.

Since its establishment on Aug 6, 2019, SPG has integrated green and low-carbon concepts into its development. It has constructed and operated China's first domestically developed automated terminal, put into operation China's first hydrogen-electric tugboat, and achieved the normal supply of onshore power, with a view to continuously upgrading the energy structure.

SPG has also taken a forward-looking approach by setting up the Ark Intelligence Company to systemically deploy a green fuel supply system. SPG was the first to obtain qualifications for green methanol warehousing and handling, and gained ISCC certification. This has led to the launch of the first B24 bio-marine fuel bunkering in northern China and the first truck-to-ship methanol bunkering. All these efforts have diversified the supply of green fuel and provided solid support for the green transition of the port and shipping industry.

According to port officials, the green methanol used in this bunkering was produced in Shandong. It is a type of bio-methanol with ISCC EU certification and features a negative Carbon Intensity (CI) value. The entire bunkering process was carried out by the methanol bunker vessel Jian Hang Li Da, a vessel modified by Qingdao Port in partnership with the Intercontinental Ship Management.

The receiving vessel was operated by COSCO Shipping Lines, equipped with a methanol/diesel dual-fuel system, which precisely aligns with the carbon reduction targets set by the International Maritime Organization. The entire operation exemplifies the modern shipping industry's commitment to green and sustainable development.

SPG completes a ship-to-ship green methanol bunkering on March 2-3 at Qingdao Port, supplying 2,500 tons to two COSCO Shipping Lines vessels. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]