Fugro Pioneer in methanol switch

Fugro has received a “major” subsidy from the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO) for the development of methanol as a clean energy fuel for its vessels.

Survey vessel Fugro Pioneer is set to become emission-free from 2023, representing a major milestone in Fugro’s energy transition, the Dutch company reported.

“Achieving emission-free shipping is complex, and most ships run on fossil fuels. Methanol is now a widely supported alternative and together with members of the MENENS consortium (methanol as energy step towards emission-free Dutch shipping), we aim to accelerate the route to net-zero emission shipping,” Fugro said.

Fugro Pioneer, featuring diesel-electric propulsion, supports a range of offshore services, typically geophysical and geotechnical survey operations of up to 500 meters of water depth.

Built in 2014 by Damen Shipyards Galati, the 53.7-meter long vessel has a fuel capacity of 305 m3.

Most recently, Fugro announced that the survey vessel will be carrying out a geoscience survey at Vattenfall’s European Offshore Wind Deployment Centre (EOWDC) from mid-December.