In Singapore, Manifold Times’ interview with Chris Chatterton, maritime advisor at the Global Centre for Green Fuels, set out a case for giving ethanol “a seat at the alternative bunker fuel table.” The non-profit, founded in 2024, aims to “accelerate the adoption of sustainable fuels across maritime, aviation, and land transport” through policy, technical validation and industry collaboration.
“Ethanol presents a pragmatic pathway to decarbonise shipping. It’s widely available globally, competitively priced, and can be used with existing methanol dual-fuel engine platforms, often with minor re-calibration,” Chatterton said, adding it offers “very low lifecycle emissions” and cleaner combustion that reduces SOx and particulate matter.
He called a joint Brazil–International Bunker Industry Association submission to the IMO “a critical milestone,” seeking ethanol’s inclusion in lifecycle assessments, a marine fuel standard and updates to the IGF Code, which sets safety requirements for ships using low-flashpoint fuels. The proposal is now before IMO sub-committees.
Modern methanol-capable engines can run on ethanol “with minimal hardware changes,” Chatterton noted, urging ships be made “alcohol-ready” to give owners flexibility. He also pointed to “significantly lower toxicity risks than methanol,” making ethanol safer for crews and in spill scenarios.
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Category: Sustainable Marine Fuels
