East Port Said Port enters milestone with first methanol bunkering operation

The General Authority for the Suez Canal Economic Zone on Friday (18 August) announced the success of the first green bunkering operation with methanol in East Port Said port for AP Moller-Maersk’s methanol-powered container vessel on 17 August. 

The authority said the supply service took nearly six hours and the operation is the first of its kind in Egypt, Africa, and the Middle East.

It added that the operation is part of Egypt’s strategy to restore its role in ships’ bunkering services, whether with fossil or green fuel and then enhance the benefit from the prime location of its seaports on the Red sea and Mediterranean sea.

The first container ship was supplied with 500 metric tonnes (mt) methanol by OCI Global using barge Lara S at the Suez Canal Container Terminal, the main operator of SCZONE’s East Port Said port in Egypt.

“SCZONE plans to transform its ports into a regional hub for bunkering services with fossil or green fuels, in addition to its endeavor to localize the green fuel industry and the feeding and complementary industries to achieve an added value through its unique geographical location,” the authority added. 

Before Egypt, the Maersk’s container vessel stopped at the Raffles Reserved Anchorage in Singapore, to refuel, which marked Singapore’s first methanol bunkering operation. 

The 172-meter-long vessel is embarking on her maiden voyage after leaving Hyundai Mipo Dockyard in Korea to Copenhagen where it will formally receive its name during a ceremony at Toldboden, next to the Maersk headquarter.

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Photo credit: General Authority for the Suez Canal Economic Zone
Published: 22 August, 2023