Stena Line has unveiled its plans to use methanol to meet emission standards for Europe’s Sulphur Emission Control Areas (SECAs) coming into effect in 2015.

Stena is working together with Wärtsilä and other project partners to apply for co-funding of the co-pilot project under the Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T) scheme to convert the Stena Germanica ferry to run on methanol in 2014. Stena believes that its project fits neatly in line with the scheme's objective to invest in projects that will deliver and make a difference.

Dan Sten Olsson, Stena CEO, said: “Short sea shipping is facing dramatic economic challenges to cope with the new 2015 sulphur requirements in the Sulphur Emission Control Areas (SECA). Stena has come up with an innovative, technically- and economically-sound solution, using methanol for propulsion.”

The Port of Gothenburg will also be involved in the project as the ferry is expected to run on the Gothenburg to Kiel route.

Methanol is an interesting concept – as a biofuel it is sustainable and being made from cellulose it doesn’t compete with food sources.

In the long term, Stena has a vision to run the whole of its SECA fleet on methanol – and it has an ambitious target to convert 25 vessels to methanol by 2018.

Stena's news follows the launch of the calls for proposals under the TEN-T programme last week.
 

منبع: Maritime News