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Wärtsilä marks five-year milestone powering methanol-fuelled ‘Stena Germanica’

Ferry is the first ship in the world to run on methanol as a marine fuel as a joint project between Wärtsilä, Stena, and Methanex Corporation since late-March 2015.
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Stena Germanica

Maritime technology group Wärtsilä on Tuesday (14 April) said it is marking five years of successful operation of the methanol-fuelled ferry Stena Germanica with Stena, and Methanex Corporation.

It adds this is the first ship in the world to run on methanol as a marine fuel, signifying a major milestone in the continued shift towards a more sustainable future for commercial shipping in line with the industry’s decarbonisation efforts.

Stena Germanica was converted to be capable of running on methanol fuel in early 2015 at Remontowa Shipyard in Poland, says Wärtsilä.

The 240-metre long ferry, with a capacity for 1500 passengers and 300 cars, was retrofitted with a first-of-its-kind fuel-flexible Wärtsilä 4-stroke engine that can run on methanol or traditional marine fuels, it adds.

The company notes the ferry began the world’s first methanol-powered sailings between Gothenburg, Sweden and Kiel, Germany in late-March 2015.

“Being the owner of the world’s first ship with methanol-fuel represented a great step on our journey to become the leader in sustainable shipping, and is an achievement we are very pleased to share as we mark the five-year anniversary of Stena Germanica’s successful operation on methanol,” says Carl-Johan Hagman, Head of Shipping & Ferries at Stena AB. 

“Stena Germanica’s retrofit is yet another example of Wärtsilä’s leading position in bringing to the market innovative systems that increase efficiency and support environmental sustainability,” comments Toni Stojcevski, General Manager, Sales & Development, Wärtsilä Marine.

“The use of methanol as a marine fuel is likely to increase in the future, and high quality, reliable, smart technologies are essential to success.” 

As part of its programme aimed at the enablement of viable sustainable fuels, Wärtsilä says it is continuing to invest in methanol for marine fuel applications, and further development work and testing procedures are planned.  

Starting January 1, 2020, restrictions on Sulphur oxide (SOx) emissions were launched by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) globally, it says.

As a marine fuel, methanol is compliant with the IMO’s 2020 regulations by reducing Sulphur oxides (SOx) by approximately 99%, and has the ability to meet Tier III Nitrogen oxide (NOx) regulations without exhaust after-treatment, explains Wärtsilä.

It adds that methanol is already well positioned globally as a marine fuel, as it is available at more than 88 of the world’s top 100 ports.

“Our aim has always been to take a leadership position by being at the forefront of innovation in commercial shipping,” says Stuart McCall, Director, Business Development at Methanex. 

“Thanks to projects like this, methanol has been proven as a safe, reliable, and cost-effective marine fuel, and we continue to uncover innovative technological advances that optimise the performance and efficiency of the fuel as the market for methanol-powered vessels keeps growing”.

Methanol also offers a clear pathway towards meeting future carbon reduction targets in 2030 and 2050 when produced from renewable sources, adds Wärtsilä.

Stena Germanica’s conversion was a cooperation between Methanex Corporation, Stena Line, Wärtsilä, the Port of Gothenburg, and the Port of Kiel, it says.

The company notes the project was co-financed by the European Union, and the classification of the conversion to methanol was conducted by Lloyd’s Register. 

In the five years since Stena Germanica’s launch, the market for methanol-powered vessels has seen continued growth, it adds.

Related: IMO makes progress towards including methanol in gas-fuelled ship code
Related: Methanol Institute gives nod to ISO spec review at IMO


Photo credit: Stena
Published: 15 April, 2020

 

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Alternative Fuels

MOL inks bio-LNG bunker fuel supply deals with Titan and Axpo for car carriers in Europe

Titan, part of Amsterdam-based Molgas, will continue to supply bio-LNG fuel in Northwest Europe, while Axpo will take charge of supply in the Mediterranean region.
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June 19, 2026

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MOL inks bio-LNG bunker fuel supply deals with Titan and Axpo for car carriers in Europe

Mitsui OSK Lines (MOL) on Thursday (18 July) said it has signed new supply agreements in Northern Europe and the Mediterranean region to expand the use of bio-LNG marine fuel on MOL-operated LNG-fuelled car carriers.

Titan, part of Amsterdam-based Molgas, will continue to supply bio-LNG fuel in Northwest Europe, while Axpo will take charge of supply in the Mediterranean region.

MOL said the agreement makes it possible for its company to supply bio-LNG fuel for automobile carriers in the Mediterranean region, specifically Port of Malaga and Barcelona in Spain, following the bio-LNG fuel supply agreement in Western Europe, which commenced in March last year.

The bio-LNG fuel to be supplied in this initiative has a lifecycle carbon intensity (carbon dioxide emissions per unit of energy consumption) of -15 g-CO2/MJ or less, from production through consumption. Furthermore, this bio-LNG fuel has obtained International Sustainability and Carbon Certification (ISCC-EU). 

“Through this supply agreement, MOL has established a framework that ensures a continuous and stable supply of bio-LNG fuel not only in Northern Europe but also in the Mediterranean,” the company said.

As part of the group’s efforts to adopt alternative fuels and achieve net-zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, it is utilising LNG-fuelled vessels as a bridge solution to facilitate the transition to carbon-neutral fuels such as bio-LNG and synthetic LNG (e-methane).

In 2025, MOL signed a bio LNG fuel supply agreement in Northwest Europe with Titan, part of the Molgas, and MOL has continued this bio LNG fuel supply agreement with the same company in 2026 as well.

 

Photo credit: Mitsui OSK Lines
Published: 19 June, 2026

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Biofuel

Kvasir Technologies lands EUR 10 million to scale bio bunker fuel production

The Danish biofuel startup raised the fund in a Series A investment round, which will provide capital to develop and design a new commercial production plant and scale climate-neutral drop-in marine fuel.

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Kvasir Technologies lands EUR 10 million to scale bio bunker fuel production

Danish biofuel startup Kvasir Technologies on Thursday (18 June) said it has raised EUR 10 million (USD 11.4 million) in a Series A investment round with participation from European Energy as a new investor, alongside existing investors EIFO, Maersk Growth and Footprint Fund. 

The Series A round provides capital to develop and design a new commercial production plant and scale climate-neutral drop-in fuel to be used in existing vessels.

At the same time, European Energy and Kvasir Technologies are entering into a strategic partnership by establishing the company KVEEN Biofuels, which is working towards the construction of a commercial-scale plant to produce biofuels using Kvasir Technologies’ patented technology.

“This investment round enables us to take the next crucial steps in developing and scaling our technology. At the same time, it underlines that there is still strong support for solutions that can deliver real climate impact in the maritime sector,” said Joachim Bachmann Nielsen, Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering and CEO of Kvasir Technologies.

Kvasir Technologies, a spin-out from research at the Technical University of Denmark (DTU), has developed a new technology to convert a wide range of non-edible lignin- based residues from agriculture and forestry into refined biofuels for shipping.

The climate-neutral biofuel can serve as an immediate replacement for fossil marine fuel without the need to modify ship engines or change existing infrastructure.

The new funding will be used, among other things, to scale the technology at Kvasir Technologies’ test facility in Fredericia, which can produce up to 2 metric tonnes (mt) of biofuel per day.

At the same time, development work will begin on the first commercial plant in the city of Aabenraa in the southern part of Jutland, which will demonstrate the technology on an industrial scale.

 

Photo credit: Kvasir Technologies
Published: 19 June, 2026

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Engine

BeHydro secures LR’s first class approval for 100% hydrogen marine engine

Engine has been developed and tested at ABC Engines’ facility in Ghent and is designed to operate entirely on hydrogen, without the need for pilot fuels.
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BeHydro secures LR’s first class approval for 100% hydrogen marine engine

Classification society Lloyd’s Register (LR) on Wednesday (17 June) said it has issued the first Type Approval Certificate for a 100% hydrogen-fuelled, spark-ignited marine engine.

The approval has been awarded to the hydrogen engine developed by BeHydro and confirms the design meets LR’s requirements for safety, performance and reliability in marine applications.

The engine has been developed and tested at ABC Engines’ facility in Ghent and is designed to operate entirely on hydrogen, without the need for pilot fuels. This simplifies system design and removes onboard carbon emissions at source, positioning the technology as a practical option for operators exploring zero-carbon propulsion.

Claudene Sharp-Patel, Global Technical Director, Lloyd’s Register, said: “The issue of this Type Approval Certificate demonstrates that hydrogen-fuelled internal combustion engine technology is continuing to mature as a viable option for maritime applications.

“For shipowners and operators, independent certification is essential in building confidence that emerging fuel technologies can meet the industry’s expectations for safety, reliability and operational performance.”

Tim Berckmoes, CEO at ABC Engines, said: “This LRS type approval of our BeHydro 100% hydrogen engines with zero emissions is a confirmation of the future proof technology that BeHydro can offer to innovative shipowners worldwide.

“The 100% hydrogen engine range is available from 900 kW till 2670 kW for different marine applications.”

LR previously awarded Type Approval to BeHydro for its hydrogen-powered dual-fuel engine in 2023, which was the first Type Approval for a dual-fuel hydrogen engine. 

 

Photo credit: Lloyd’s Register
Published: 19 June, 2026

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