Fugro joins Methanol Institute to steer transition to low-carbon fuels

Dutch geo-data solutions provider Fugro has joined the Methanol Institute (MI), a global trade association for the methanol industry, in line with transitioning its fleet of geotechnical and geophysical vessels to low-carbon fuels.

As the newest member of MI Fugro, aims to advance its commitment to decarbonization by switching its fleet to low-carbon fuels, with a strong focus on methanol.

Along the lines of its borader objective to reach net-zero operations by 2035, the Dutch company decided to convert its 2014-built geophysical vessel Fugro Pioneer to run on methanol.

As explained, the adjustments were made to replace two of the four original engines on Fugro Pioneer with methanol engines, ensuring services can still be offered in regions where green methanol is not yet available.

The conversion is part of the Fugro-led Methanol as Energy Step Towards Emission-free Dutch Shipping (MENENS) consortium, which received a grant at the end of 2021 from the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO). The initiative aims to accelerate the transition to emissions-free shipping by developing adaptive system solutions based on methanol.

In March 2025, the consortium completed the primary phase of converting their first vessel to run on methanol—a move that is expected to reduce carbon emissions by over 90% compared to conventional marine fuel.

In the white paper, titled “Economic Value of Methanol for Shipping under FuelEU Maritime and EU ETS”, MI suggests that the EU’s FuelEU Maritime and the EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS) regulations could create a level playing field for bio- and e-methanol, making eco-friendly fuels economically competitive compared to fossil marine fuels.

MI found that with significant penalties for using fossil fuels, the two regulatory frameworks could ‘effectively encourage’ the transition to sustainable fuels, particularly methanol, opening the door for the maritime industry to adopt further alternative fuels and take sizeable leaps toward its all-embracing net-zero by 2050 target.

The association was given consultative status by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) in August 2024, allowing it to contribute their knowledge to the development of shipping regulations