Equinor has entered into a 2-year bio-methanol supply agreement with Wallenius Wilhelmsen, a major global player in shipping and vehicle logistics, supporting a growing marine segment for low-carbon fuels.
Soon bio-methanol from Equinor will fuel ships that are bringing cars and machinery from points of production to markets. Wallenius Wilhelmsen is a market leader in roll-on/roll-off (RoRo) shipping and vehicle logistics and will use the bio-methanol as bunker fuel for its upcoming dual-fuel methanol vessels.
Wallenius Wilhelmsen will receive the bio-methanol bunkers at the Ports of Zeebrugge and Antwerp, positioning the partnership within key European maritime hubs. Supplies will commence in late 2026.
Alex Grant, senior vice president of Crude, Products and Liquids (CPL) in Equinor
Photo: Ole Jørgen Bratland / ©Equinor
'We continue to see increasing interest in bio-methanol as a practical, scalable solution for decarbonisation of shipping. This partnership with Wallenius Wilhelmsen marks a substantial step forward in bringing Equinor’s bio-based methanol to the growing marine segment for low carbon fuels. Equinor has previously signed supply agreements for bio-methanol with Maersk and NCL, and we are progressing several leads for both bio and conventional methanol supply agreements', says Alex Grant, senior vice president of Crude, Products and Liquids (CPL) in Equinor.
The use of bio-methanol will enable substantial reductions in greenhouse gas emissions from ships that use the fuel and help Wallenius Wilhelmsen provide net zero logistics solutions to their customers.
'Signing this deal with Equinor marks an important milestone for us at Wallenius Wilhelmsen. Securing low-carbon bio-methanol supports the decarbonization of our ocean operations, while strengthening our ability to deliver lower emission end-to-end logistics for customers. Partnerships like this are essential to scaling alternative fuels and moving from ambition to execution,' says Xavier Leroi, chief operating officer Shipping Services at Wallenius Wilhelmsen.
How it works
Equinor’s supply of bio-methanol is based on a combination of methanol produced at Equinor’s facility at Tjeldbergodden, Norway, and biogas certificates stemming from captured biogas from manure and other biomass in accordance with the EU Renewable Energy Directive.
The methanol is produced from the biomethane in the gas grid on a mass-balance basis. This way, bio-methanol can be produced in existing facilities using existing infrastructure and plants, enabling quick production while also allowing for less pressure on pristine land, natural resources and the environment. The method also enables capture of methane emissions that would arise from the manure feedstock if left untouched.
Facts about methanol from biogas:
Biomethane is produced from organic materials. Before methanol synthesis, biomethane needs to be purified by removing impurities and increasing the methane content. This is often done using various upgrading technologies. To produce hydrogen (H2) required for the reaction, the CO2 present in the biomethane can be converted via reforming processes
Methanol is synthesized using methane and carbon dioxide with hydrogen. The process results in the production of methanol from the original biomethane.
The International Maritime Organization (IMO) aims to reduce total greenhouse gas emissions from international shipping to net zero by or around 2050. Transitioning to methanol can be part of strategies to meet these targets.
Source: Equinor
