In China on August 14, Qingdao’s Qianwan port quietly crossed a maritime threshold. The COSCO Shipping Carnation took on 210 tons of methanol at berth 79, completing Shandong Port Group’s inaugural bunkering of the low-carbon marine fuel.
The feat follows Shandong Port’s November 2024 certification for green methanol operations, positioning it among a rare few ports worldwide equipped to handle the fuel. While major shipping lines are pivoting to methanol-powered vessels, bunkering capacity remains a bottleneck. Shandong’s move begins to plug the gap.
Backed by a supply chain spanning production, storage, transport, and fueling, the port has assembled what it calls a full-service system for alternative fuels. The local government cast the bunkering as a landmark for China’s energy transition at sea, linking state-owned logistics muscle with cleaner cargo flows. For now, it’s 210 tons. But the tank is primed.
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Category: Sustainable Marine Fuels
