X-Press Feeders has revealed its intention to pioneer the use of dual-fuel vessels powered by green methanol, establishing environmentally friendly routes to the Scandinavia-Baltic region of northern Europe starting early next year.
The maritime shipping company, which operates a fleet of more than 100 vessels, has 14 dual-fuel vessels on order and due for delivery from next year’s first quarter through to mid-2026.
The ships are each at 1,200 TEU capacity with an overall length of 148 metres. The first dual-fuel vessel, Eco Maestro, will have its maiden voyage in Q1 next year, and it will be from Shanghai – where the ship is built – to the Port of Rotterdam via the Suez Canal.
Eco Maestro, which is the first bio-methanol powered ship to be built in China, will use bio-methanol for its voyage to Europe.
“We aim to power Eco Maestro with green methanol for the entire journey from Shanghai to Rotterdam but certain ports enroute have no infrastructure at present to supply methanol to ships, so we are engaging them to make it possible,” said Francis Goh, X-Press Feeders’ Chief Operating Officer.
“We see this maiden voyage as a way to promote sustainable shipping globally and highlight to the global community how the shipping industry is working to play its part in helping to reduce CO2e emissions.
“By embarking on this voyage, we are also highlighting to all industry stakeholders – not just shipping companies but also regulators, port operators, fuel suppliers, logistics companies, freight-forwarders and beneficial cargo owners (BCOs) – that we all need to work together and play our part to make sustainable shipping a reality.”
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After her inaugural voyage from Shanghai to Rotterdam, Eco Maestro will be operating on a feeder network in Northern Europe, based in the Port of Rotterdam. The green routes will start in next year’s second quarter and be from Rotterdam to ports in Scandinavia and the Baltic states.
X-Press Feeders will reportedly be the world’s first dedicated feeder carrier to operate a container vessel powered by green methanol.
The company has already signed a firm contract with Dutch fuel supplier OCI Global for the supply of green methanol at the Port of Rotterdam starting in 2024. OCI’s green methanol is ISCC (International Sustainability and Carbon Certification) certified.
Eco Mastro, deployed on a round voyage service, will reportedly save 268 kilogrammes (kg) of CO2e emissions for every TEU carried when compared to a feeder vessel of similar capacity running on conventional marine fuel.
Earlier this summer, Eastaway, a member of the X-Press Feeders Group, ordered six new 1,250 TEU container vessels fitted with ultra-modern, dual-fuel engines capable of operating on conventional fuel and methanol.
