Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL) has joined a five-party partnership to complete Japan’s first ship-to-ship methanol bunkering at an anchorage in Yokohama. The operation involved the transfer of methanol from Kokuka Sangyo’s Eika Maru to MOL’s dual-fuel vessel Kohzan Maru VII, both chartered by Mitsubishi Gas Chemical (MGC).
The bunkering used domestically produced biomethanol from MGC’s Niigata Plant, supporting the vessel’s future operations. Methanol is a clean-burning fuel with low CO₂, sulfur, nitrogen, and particulate emissions. Produced from non-fossil sources, it enables carbon-neutral shipping.
The operation followed safety and procedural standards set by Japan’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism and the Japan Coast Guard. Anchorage bunkering, common for conventional fuels, is expected to grow for methanol. Stakeholders plan to apply lessons from this project to expand methanol bunkering across Japan.
MOL has operated eight methanol dual-fuel vessels since 2016. As part of its “MOL Group Environmental Vision 2.2,” the company aims for net-zero GHG emissions by 2050 and plans to deploy 90 LNG/methanol-fueled vessels by 2030.
Vessel Specs:
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Kohzan Maru VII: 29,969 GT, 47,960 DWT, operator MOL
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Eika Maru: 498 GT, 1,259 DWT, operator Kokuka Sangyo.
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