OCI Global and X-Press Feeders have announced that OCI Hyfuels will supply X-Press Feeders with green methanol in the Port of Rotterdam from 2024.
The milestone agreement is the first green methanol deal with a feeder container carrier and represents a crucial step in the decarbonisation of the shipping chain, as the feeder industry plays an important role in supporting the ultimate carrier. X-Press Feeders will be the first common feeder operator with methanol-fuelled vessels on the water in Europe.
OCI partnership with Unibarge
OCI announced its partnership with Unibarge to retrofit the first methanol-powered bunker barge
The partnership between the globally renowned green methanol producer and common feeder operator will create an end-to-end solution for global shipping companies in European ports.
Earlier this year, OCI announced its partnership with Unibarge to retrofit the first methanol-powered bunker barge, which will be deployed at the Port of Rotterdam. OCI will work with Unibarge to fuel X-Press Feeders’ feeder ships, ensuring the decarbonisation of another link in the chain.
The announcement comes in the same month that the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) announced new global decarbonisation targets for the maritime industry and its revised strategy for the industry to reach net zero ‘by or around 2050’.
OCI HyFuels’ ability
The partnership represents a concrete step towards both companies’ decarbonisation journeys and is a significant commercial-scale green methanol deal that validates green methanol as the pioneering choice for low-carbon and renewable marine fuel available at scale.
This is OCI HyFuels’ second green methanol sale in the marine sector in just under a month, following the partnership with Maersk to fuel the world’s first green methanol-powered container vessel, reflecting the speed of growth of the sector and OCI HyFuels’ ability to support the growing demand for green methanol from the marine sector, starting in Rotterdam with plans to expand to several other ports around the world.
End-to-end decarbonisation solution
Bashir Lebada, CEO of OCI Methanol/OCI HyFuels, said: “With growing public and regulatory pressure on the shipping industry, we need to find ways to decarbonise every link in the chain. Through our new partnership with X-Press Feeders to supply them with OCI Hyfuels green methanol, and our existing collaboration with Unibarge to deliver the fuel via their green methanol bunker barge, we are creating an end-to-end decarbonisation solution for the maritime industry in Europe."
This announcement is yet another milestone in an exciting year for OCI HyFuels"
He adds, "This announcement is yet another milestone in an exciting year for OCI HyFuels and our leadership in the maritime fuels sector. As the world’s largest green methanol producer, we’re excited to be pioneering ways to reduce emissions across the supply chain.”
X-Press Feeders’ commitment
Shmuel Yoskovitz, CEO of X-Press Feeders said: “X-Press Feeders’ partnership with OCI and the procurement of green methanol is the next logical decision in our journey towards our decarbonisation goal of Net Zero 2050. In Q2 2024 we will receive our first of 14 dual-fuel Methanol vessels, the advance procurement of green methanol allows us to offer the Main Line Operators and interested European Beneficial Cargo Owners the ability to deliver an Intra-European green corridor by mid-2024."
He adds, "This is one more step to prove X-Press Feeders’ commitment to deliver tangible contributions to a more sustainable shipping industry. We continue to look out for future opportunities and partnerships to accelerate decarbonisation in the feeder business, to become the greener feeder carrier of choice.”
