In China, Cailian News Agency reports CIMC Enric began production on December 16 at its first commercial-scale green methanol plant in Zhanjiang, Guangdong. After a month of trial runs, the facility has reached 70 to 80 percent of its design load, with output at 3,000 tons per month. Full capacity is expected before the Spring Festival in 2026, according to deputy general manager Wang Bihui.
The plant uses straw collected from nearby farmland to produce biomass-based methanol. Annual capacity is set at 50,000 tons in its first phase. A second phase, planned for 2027, would expand output to 200,000 tons and include upgrades such as pressurized gasification and integration with green hydrogen and biogas.
CIMC Enric president Yang Xiaohu said shipowners remain optimistic about green methanol but are constrained by limited supply, which forces many vessels to operate on grey methanol. He expects LNG to hold about half the future marine fuel market, followed by green methanol with a share of 30 to 40 percent.
CIMC’s current customers include shipping firms and bunkering providers. The company also reported its first chemical sector order. With the new Zhanjiang facility online, China’s total green methanol capacity has reached 338,000 tons.
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Category: Sustainable Marine Fuels
