Ningbo-Zhoushan Port in Zhejiang province completed its first ship-to-ship green methanol bunkering on 22 April, according to Zhejiang Provincial Information Office.

The operation supplied 503 tonnes of green methanol to COSCO Shipping Libra, a 20,000-teu methanol dual-fuel container ship, from the vessel Da Qing 268 in about one hour at the Meishan port area.

The milestone makes Ningbo-Zhoushan Port one of the few ports in China with ship-to-ship supply capability for LNG, biofuel and methanol.

Zhejiang Information Office noted that ship-to-ship transfer is the main method used internationally for methanol bunkering and is better suited than truck-to-ship fuelling for larger vessels calling at busy container ports.

Authorities also highlighted the additional safety demands involved during this process, with the fuel’s flammable, explosive and toxic properties requiring closer coordination between ships, port operators and shore-side agencies.

To support the operation, Ningbo maritime authorities put in place a layered supervision network covering risk controls throughout the refuelling sequence.