LR, Green Marine roll out training for methanol as marine fuel

Danish methanol-as-marine-fuel consultancy Green Marine has teamed up with Lloyd’s Register (LR) classification society on expert training for methanol handling.

The training program is intended for maritime stakeholders that aim to build or retrofit and operate vessels with methanol-as-fuel technology.

Methanol, known for its lower carbon intensity and potential for renewable production, presents a promising pathway to propel the maritime industry toward a more sustainable future. The uptake of methanol has surged over the past few years, even outpacing LNG.

However, as a new fuel in shipping, there is still limited operational experience of methanol as a marine fuel and its use presents challenges for seafarers and their upskilling, alongside shoreside competencies which are required in order to ensure safety and efficient use.

Green Marine said that it has developed experience-based training delivered by ex-captains and chief engineers with over 100,000 hours of onboard operational experience in methanol dual-fuelled ships. This, coupled with LR’s expertise around rules, risk assessment and risk management, as well as human factors, provides an end-to-end support to companies adopting methanol, the consultancy added.

“By leveraging our technical expertise and working collaboratively with Green Marine, we aim to accelerate the adoption of methanol as a viable and environmentally friendly fuel source, contributing to a greener and more sustainable future for the maritime industry,” Andy McKeran, Chief Commercial Officer, Lloyd’s Register said.

“Green Marine’s gold-standard methanol training curriculum was created based on practical knowledge gathered over a decade of experience working with methanol dual-fuel vessels. Our certified trainers are captains and chief engineers with first-hand knowledge of working with methanol as marine fuel and the safe handling of the same. The Green Marine methanol training curriculum is supplementing baseline regulatory training requirements with experience-based learnings. We provide practical knowledge to support crews in adopting methanol dual fuel technology and the safe handling of methanol,” Morten Jacobsen, CEO Green Marine, said.

“Our partnership with Lloyds Register on methanol marine fuel training aligns perfectly with the evolving demands and regulations of the maritime industry.”

Based on a survey conducted last year by DNV classification society and the Singapore Maritime Foundation (SMF), over 75 percent of respondents (Deck and Engine Officers 78%) indicated a need for training on new fuel types, such as liquefied natural gas (LNG), batteries, or synthetic fuels. The demand for training on emerging fuels like ammonia, hydrogen, and methanol surged even higher, reaching 87 percent among survey participants.

This builds on the findings from 2022 when a DNV study revealed that as many as 800,000 seafarers will require additional training by the mid-2030s to enable the shipping industry to transition towards alternative low- and zero-carbon fuels and technologies.