Wallenius Wilhelmsen, a market leader in roll-on/roll-off shipping and vehicle logistics, has sealed a two-year fuel contract with multinational energy company Equinor for the supply of mass-balanced bio-methanol.
The mass-balanced bio-methanol is certified according to ISCC EU and will reduce carbon emissions by 95 percent. The fuel will be produced in Norway and delivered to Wallenius Wilhelmsen’s vessels in Antwerp and Zeebrugge.
Xavier Leroi, Chief Operating Officer, Shipping Services at Wallenius Wilhelmsen, said the deal with Equinor marks an important milestone for the company. “Securing low-carbon bio-methanol supports the decarbonisation of our ocean operations, while strengthening our ability to deliver lower emission end-to-end logistics for customers. Partnerships like this are essential to scaling alternative fuels and moving from ambition to execution.”
Alex Grant, SVP Crude, Products and Liquids at Equinor, said they continue to see increasing interest in bio-methanol as a practical, scalable solution for decarbonising shipping. “This partnership with Wallenius Wilhelmsen marks a substantial step forward in bringing Equinor’s bio-based methanol to the growing marine segment for low-carbon fuels. Equinor has previously signed supply agreements for bio-methanol with Maersk and NCL, and we are progressing several leads for both bio and conventional methanol supply agreements.”
Net-Zero Ambitions
Christos Chryssakis, Vice President Energy and Regulations at Wallenius Wilhelmsen, added that long-term agreements help create the demand signals fuel producers need to invest and scale production, strengthening the supply chain for alternative fuels and accelerating the transition from pilot projects to commercial deployment across the industry.
This agreement supports Wallenius Wilhelmsen’s ambition to deliver a net-zero end-to-end pilot service for some customers from 2027, by securing access to lower-emission fuels for its ocean operations. It represents an important step in building long-term availability of alternative fuels – a prerequisite for scaling decarbonisation across shipping and logistics.
The use of bio-methanol will enable substantial reductions in greenhouse gas emissions from ships and help Wallenius Wilhelmsen provide net-zero logistics solutions to their customers.
Bio-Methanol
It should be noted that Equinor’s supply of bio-methanol is based on a combination of methanol produced at Equinor’s facility at Tjeldbergodden, Norway and biogas certificates stemming from captured biogas from manure and other biomass in accordance with the EU Renewable Energy Directive.
The methanol is produced from the biomethane in the gas grid on a mass-balance basis. Bio-methanol can be produced in existing facilities using existing infrastructure and plants, enabling quick production while also allowing for less pressure on pristine land, natural resources and the environment. The method also enables capture of methane emissions that would arise from the manure feedstock if left untouched.
source: seanews.co.uk
