Methanol summit first

ABS and The Methanol Institute hosted the inaugural London Methanol Summit, bringing together shipowners, shipyards, regulators, ports and methanol producers for an afternoon of panel discussions followed by an evening reception.

“Methanol is increasingly being recognised as a compelling alternative pathway for owners and operators,” said Vassilios Kroustallis, ABS senior vice president, Global Business Development.

“With practical benefits related to ease of storage and handling, tank-to-wake carbon intensity reduction, as well as a pathway to carbon neutrality through green methanol, methanol presents an immediate and promising solution.”

Panellists from Maersk, MAN Energy Solutions, Waterfront Shipping, SafeBulkers and the Port of Rotterdam discussed opportunities and challenges for methanol adoption as well as provided insights on the emerging technologies that will support scaling up of methanol infrastructure.

On a second panel focused on the maritime value chain, representatives from MSC, Maersk, Proman and the European Commission’s representative to the IMO discussed the viability of and roadblocks to the uptake of methanol as well as the regulatory framework and financing.

“This ABS-MI summit is a concrete demonstration of the role that methanol is playing today in the shipping industry’s transition to lower carbon and ultimately net carbon neutral operations,” said Greg Dolan, chief executive of The Methanol Institute.