Xiamen Port successfully completes its first green methanol ship-to-ship bunkering, enhancing its clean fuel capabilities and supporting low-carbon shipping.
At approximately 9:30 a.m. on November 4, the bunkering vessel 'Zhongrong Lune' 85 commenced a green methanol ship-to-ship bunkering operation for the 'Orient Wisdom' at Xiamen Far Ocean Container Terminal. Marking Fujian Province's first green methanol ship-to-ship bunkering operation, this milestone positions Xiamen Port among the select group of domestic ports capable of delivering this service. The achievement also establishes a multi-category clean fuel bunkering framework encompassing biofuel oil, liquefied natural gas, and green methanol, representing a significant breakthrough in the port's green shipping support services.
The 'Orient Wisdom' is the world's first 24,000-TEU methanol dual-fuel container vessel and ranks among the largest methanol-powered container ships currently in operation. According to on-site personnel, green methanol reduces lifecycle carbon emissions by more than 85 percent compared with conventional marine fuels. The operation delivered approximately 1,005 tonnes of green methanol, corresponding to a carbon reduction of more than 1,600 tonnes. With regular use of green methanol fuel, the vessel is projected to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by approximately 150,000 tonnes annually while substantially eliminating sulfur oxide and particulate matter emissions. Upon completion of bunkering, the vessel will proceed to major European ports.
Ship-to-ship methanol bunkering involves complex procedures and demanding safety management standards. The successful execution of this inaugural operation reflects the practical implementation of directives set out at the 14th Xiamen Municipal Party Congress and advances the port's green, low-carbon transition. The operation encompassed regulatory framework development, safety assessment, port clearance, fuel supply assurance, and terminal operations, placing considerable demands on coordinated organization and on-site management.
Under the overall coordination of the Xiamen Municipal Party Committee and Municipal Government, the Xiamen Port Authority worked in conjunction with the Xiamen Maritime Safety Administration, Xiamen Free Trade Zone Commission, Xiamen Customs, Xiamen Border Inspection General Station, and other port units, while also engaging enterprises including COSCO Shipping and China Marine Bunker. Preparatory efforts focused on regulatory standards, cross-departmental coordination, and on-site safety assurance. In August of this year, multiple Xiamen municipal departments jointly issued Fujian Province's first safety guidelines for marine methanol fuel bunkering operations, completing a concurrent ship-to-ship methanol bunkering safety risk assessment that clarified operational standards and regulatory requirements. Building on this foundation, all parties established a cross-port coordination mechanism, developed a dedicated operational plan, and conducted item-by-item verification of critical procedures including bunkering operations, pilotage support, and emergency response. The live operation served as a practical test of the regulatory processes and safety management framework developed throughout this period.
Xiamen Port Authority Director Ren Guoyan noted that the global shipping industry's low-carbon transition continues to accelerate, and the capacity to provide comprehensive clean fuel bunkering services has become a significant factor in international liner operators' port-of-call decisions. From biofuel oil to bonded liquefied natural gas and now to green methanol, Xiamen Port has completed a critical component of its clean marine fuel supply capability. Green bunkering services for internationally trading vessels have advanced from a single-category offering to a parallel multi-category system, shifting the central question from availability to comprehensiveness. This capability positions the port to attract a greater number of clean-energy deep-sea vessels, further densify international shipping routes, and catalyze the concentration of upstream and downstream industry elements including marine fuel storage, transshipment, and bunkering, thereby strengthening the foundational infrastructure of the Southeast International Shipping Centre.
The completion of this inaugural operation marks a starting point, with normalized operations remaining the overarching objective. In the period ahead, all port units will continue to coordinate efforts to refine methanol bunkering operational standards and the safety supervision framework, address infrastructure gaps, and advance the transition of green methanol bunkering from a pilot operation to routine service, striving to progress from operational capability toward bunkering that is efficient, rapid, and dependable, and continuously strengthening the port's integrated clean marine fuel supply capacity.
