Port of Antwerp-Bruges has launched the world's first methanol-powered tugboat.

The tugboat—Methatug—runs on methanol. It is part of a greening programme for the port's fleet and an important step in the transition to a climate-neutral port by 2050.

 [Source: Port of Antwerp-Bruges]

The project is being financed by the European research programme Horizon 2020 and is part of the FASTWATER project, which aims to demonstrate the feasibility of methanol as a sustainable fuel for the shipping industry.

First methanol-powered tugboat

Port of Antwerp-Bruges noted that methanol is one of the fuels of the future and produces lower emissions, an important factor in the port's ambition to be climate neutral by 2050.

The world's first methanol-powered tugboat, the Methatug, was unveiled on May 14 in Antwerp.

The port noted that methanol, which can be produced from renewable sources, is a clean fuel and can be used for both brand-new ships and retrofits because it is liquid under ambient conditions.

For the Methatug, the Port of Antwerp-Bruges noted that the engines from an existing tugboat were converted into 'dual fuel' engines, which run on a mixture of methanol and traditional fuel.

The 30-metre-long tugboat has a traction force of 50 tons and can store 12.000 litres of methanol, enough for two weeks of tug work.

The Methatug is part of the European FASTWATER project, which aims to demonstrate the feasibility of methanol as a sustainable fuel for the shipping industry, and was financed by the European research and innovation programme Horizon 2020.

Green fleet and multi-fuel port

The tugboat is part of a comprehensive greening programme for the Port of Antwerp-Bruges' fleet, which strives to systematically integrate the most environmentally friendly technologies available.

So far, the Hydrotug 1, the first tugboat to run on hydrogen and energy-efficient RSD tugboats, has been added to the fleet. Another electrically-powered tugboat, the first in Europe, will follow later this year.

"As the fifth largest bunker port in the world, Port of Antwerp-Bruges also aims to become a full-fledged multi-fuel port, in which seagoing and inland vessels will be able to bunker, not only conventional fuels but also alternative, low-carbon fuels, such as methanol, hydrogen or electricity," it said.

In early April, the first methanol bunkering with the deepsea vessel Ane Maersk took place in Antwerp, a new milestone in terms of this ambition.

"Together with our partners, we are pioneering innovative technologies for the transition to alternative and renewable energy sources. The Methatug is a new and essential step in our efforts to make our own fleet greener and become climate-neutral by 2050," said Jacques Vandermeiren, CEO of Port of Antwerp-Bruges.