Methanol-fueled Eco Maestro pays visit to Estonia

On July 22, 2024, methanol-powered containership Eco Maestro, owned by Singapore-based X-Press Feeders, arrived in Muuga, Estonia, for the first time.

The vessel sails on the Green Finland X-PRESS (GFX) route, starting its journey from Rotterdam, passing through Antwerp, Kotka, Helsinki (Vuosaari) and finally docking at the Muuga port before heading back to Rotterdam.

X-Press Feeders selected the Port of Rotterdam as the base for Europe’s first feeder network powered by green methanol because “Rotterdam is Europe’s largest port and is fully equipped to handle green methanol refueling”. The launch of the network took place on July 9, 2024.

Eco Maestro is fueled by green methanol, a renewable fuel that produces up to 65 percent less greenhouse gases than conventional marine fuel. Green methanol is typically produced either from biomass or from captured CO2 emissions.

According to Margus Vihman, Commercial Director of the Port of Tallinn, the arrival of a methanol ship in Estonia is a significant milestone in the development of sustainable shipping.

“Eco Maestro is the first of its kind to arrive in Estonia but will certainly not be the last. The development of green technologies and sustainable solutions in shipping will support the wider goal of Port of Tallinn to achieve climate neutrality and create new business opportunities for the logistics sector. With the arrival of the Eco Maestro and its route, Estonian exporters and importers will not only benefit from environmental friendliness, but also from additional regularity and convenience in transporting their goods to and from Europe,” Vihman added.

As a biofuel, the use of green methanol is in line with the European Union’s Emissions Trading System (ETS) rules, which also foresee a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from the combustion of marine fuels from next year.

“X-Press Feeders started a regular service to our container terminal this spring. With the immediate aim of bringing its fleet of methanol-powered vessels to the Baltic Sea. This is the first of the 14 methanol vessels that were ordered. We are delighted to have a customer with a long and sustainable roadmap in place,” said Riia Sillave, chairman of the board of HHLA TK Estonia, the multifunctional terminal operating in the port of Muuga.

The vessel left Muuga on July 23, 2024. Eco Maestro sails under the Maltese flag.