In April 2015, the 240-metre-long Gothenburg-Kiel ferry STENA GERMANICA became the world’s first methanol-powered ferry. In this world-unique project, the ferry was converted to be able to run with both traditional ship fuel and methanol and has since run daily between Gothenburg and Kiel with methanol in the tank. Methanol is a fossil fuel but cleaner than traditional marine fuel because it does not generate soot and particles and drastically reduces sulphur and nitrogen emissions. 

In the hunt for the ship fuel of the future, Stena Line has now, together with several partners in the EU-funded project FReSMe, developed and tested a completely new ship fuel – methanol recycled from the Swedish steel industry. The new fuel is called blue methanol and contributes positively to the reduction of carbon dioxide emissions from shipping. On Tuesday 22 June, STENA GERMANICA was refuelled for the first time with the new fuel and during the night trip to Kiel, the fuel was tested for the first time with good results.

“This is a fantastic collaboration between shipping and the steel industry, which proves that together it is possible to drastically reduce our climate impact. For Stena Line, this is another important step in our sustainable journey and the exploration of alternative ship fuels for the future,” says Erik Lewenhaupt, Sustainability Manager at Stena Line.

Facts about the sustainable methanol:

The methanol is produced from carbon dioxide that is recovered from the blast furnace gases from SSAB’s steel production in Luleå, one of several participants in the FReSMe project, which is part-financed by the EU. The aim is to create more sustainable shipping and steel production by lowering carbon dioxide emissions from both industries. More information about the project can be read at http://fresme.eu.