Author Archive: Jim Kendrick

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China eyes green methanol buildout to meet ship fuel demand

China eyes green methanol buildout to meet ship fuel demand

June 4, 2025 |

In China, Zhitong Finance reports GF Securities said green methanol demand from methanol-powered ships—estimated at 930,000 tons—far exceeds current supply of just over 200,000 tons, creating “a window period to earn a green premium” and accelerating construction of upstream green hydrogen and methanol projects in China. The firm noted that global shipowners have begun buying […]

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China’s shipbuilding surge driven by integration and scale

China’s shipbuilding surge driven by integration and scale

June 4, 2025 |

In China, Guancha reports China captured 74.7% of new global ship orders in 2024—totaling 87 million deadweight tons—according to official data from China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology. According to the report, behind the figures lies a deeper transformation: an industrial system built on consolidation, cost control, and local supply chains that increasingly outpace […]

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ESL Shipping secures €70M loan for green methanol cargo ships

ESL Shipping secures €70M loan for green methanol cargo ships

May 29, 2025 |

In Finland on May 27, ESL Shipping signed a €70 million loan agreement with Svenska Skeppshypotek to help finance four new 17,000 DWT methanol-powered cargo vessels, which will be delivered between the third quarter of 2027 and the first half of 2028; the total project investment is approximately €186 million. The ships are being built […]

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China launches world’s first 9,300-car methanol-fueled auto carrier

China launches world’s first 9,300-car methanol-fueled auto carrier

May 29, 2025 |

In China on May 21 in Nantong, China Merchants Energy Shipping launched the world’s first methanol dual-fuel roll-on/roll-off car carrier with a capacity of 9,300 vehicles, built by China Merchants Industry; the vessel is scheduled for delivery in the second half of 2025. The ship features a methanol-powered propulsion system including main and auxiliary engines, […]

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Wärtsilä to power first fully electric high-speed ferries built in the U.S.

Wärtsilä to power first fully electric high-speed ferries built in the U.S.

May 29, 2025 |

In Finland, on May 28, Wärtsilä announced it will supply the electric propulsion systems for three battery-electric high-speed ferries—the first of their kind to be built in the United States—for San Francisco Bay Ferry, with deliveries starting in 2026 and the first vessel expected to enter service in early 2027; contract value was not disclosed. […]

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Ningbo-Zhoushan Port to build three green corridors with Hamburg, Wilhelmshaven, Valencia

Ningbo-Zhoushan Port to build three green corridors with Hamburg, Wilhelmshaven, Valencia

May 29, 2025 |

In China, Xinde Marine News reports on May 27 Ningbo-Zhoushan Port signed agreements with Germany’s Hamburg and Wilhelmshaven ports and Spain’s Valencia port to build three green shipping corridors, establishing what it called “the most under-construction green corridors of any Chinese hub,” with project costs undisclosed. The trilateral initiative was formalized during the 2025 Maritime […]

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Ulsan named South Korea’s first Ammonia Bunkering Free Regulatory Zone

Ulsan named South Korea’s first Ammonia Bunkering Free Regulatory Zone

May 29, 2025 |

In Korea, Busan Economic Newspaper reports South Korea’s Ministry of SMEs and Startups designated Ulsan as the “Ammonia Bunkering Free Regulatory Zone,” launching a 30-month initiative from June 2025 through December 2027 with ₩16 billion (about $11.6 million) in funding to develop ammonia ship fuel technologies and safety systems. The designation allows Ulsan and 23 […]

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Rotterdam, EDGE Navigation sign pact to prepare port for liquid hydrogen ships

Rotterdam, EDGE Navigation sign pact to prepare port for liquid hydrogen ships

May 29, 2025 |

In the Netherlands, the Port of Rotterdam Authority and EDGE Navigation signed a letter of intent during the recent World Hydrogen Summit to jointly develop infrastructure and regulations to support liquid hydrogen shipping, aiming to prepare the port for EDGE’s LH₂ vessels expected to enter service in 2028. EDGE Navigation is designing a series of […]

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China seeks input on draft safety rules for ammonia-fueled ships

China seeks input on draft safety rules for ammonia-fueled ships

May 29, 2025 |

In China, the Maritime Safety Administration of China released a draft of the Interim Technical and Inspection Rules for Ammonia-Fueled Ships and opened a public consultation period through June 21 to gather feedback on the proposed regulatory framework. The draft rules are intended to “ensure the safety of ammonia-fueled powered ships” and “promote the application […]

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China producing world’s first pure methanol electric vessel in Shaoxing

China producing world’s first pure methanol electric vessel in Shaoxing

May 29, 2025 |

In China, Qianjiang Evening News reports in Shaoxing’s Shangyu District, construction began on the world’s first pure methanol electric intelligent vessel at the Yonghe Lianyong Port-Industry Zone, a major new logistics hub along the Hangzhou-Ningbo Canal designed to support inland green shipping and advanced shipbuilding. The vessel, developed by Shaoxing Blue City Zhige Shipbuilding Co., […]

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