KUALA LUMPUR (April 7): Maersk is among six companies to form an international partnership to establish the first e-methanol plant in Southeast Asia.

Seatrade Maritime News in a report on Wednesday (April 6) said pending the successful completion of feasibility studies this year, the partnership aims to establish a pilot e-methanol plant to convert captured biogenic CO2 into a minimum of 50,000 tonnes of e-methanol per annum.

It said a memorandum of understanding on a green methanol value chain collaboration was signed by Maersk, PTT Exploration and Production Public Company (PTTEP), Air Liquide, YTL PowerSeraya, Oiltanking Asia Pacific and Kenoil Marine Services.

The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore welcomed the partnership's formation and the feasibility studies of establishing an e-methanol plant and running bunkering trials for the fuel.

Methanol is among the contenders for the maritime fuel of the future as social and regulatory pressure push the industry to decarbonise.

Seatrade said Maersk had bet big on methanol, committing to building a series of eight 16,000 TEU methanol-fuelled container ships.

The partnership said the collaboration will commence with feasibility studies of the technical and economic aspects of the green e-methanol pilot plant which are expected to be completed by the end of 2022.

“The project has strong potential to support industry adoption and realisation of climate neutrality goals, making a meaningful contribution to global efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions," it said.