Standards Development

Scope

This document specifies general test requirements such as test conditions, test environment, preparation, testing medium and other parameters such as alarms, to ensure safety and proper performance for methanol fuel supply systems of ships.

This document serves to evaluate the safety and performance of the methanol supply system prior to or after installation on board a ship, and to ensure that system characteristics are considered for all methanol consumers during ship trials and operations.

Purpose

(1) In 2018, the Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) adopted the Initial IMO Strategy on Reduction of GHG Emissions from Ships, including the transition from traditional fossil fuels to alternative fuels. In recent years, the demand for methanol fuelled vessels has grown rapidly, as methanol has been proven to be a preferred choice secondary only to LNG. The global new orders for methanol fuelled vessels increased from 35 pieces in 2022, to 138 pieces in 2023 and 166 pieces in 2024, respectively. Consequently, the market for methanol fuel supply systems, which function as the core component to provide fuel to the vessels, is developing quickly worldwide as well.

(2) However, the application of methanol is confronted with many challenges, because it is flammable, explosive, toxic, harmful, and corrosive. Ensuring the successful and safe use of methanol fuel on board is therefore a critical issue that must be addressed. Currently, IMO and the international ship classification societies have given guidelines on the safe application of methanol as marine fuel generally and mostly from the technical and instructional aspects.

(3) This proposal aims to develop a testing standard for the methanol fuel supply system, providing guidance and standardization for test conditions, procedures, test reports and other related elements. It is expected to provide unified test requirements and methods for ship methanol fuel supply systems designed, manufactured or integrated by different suppliers all over the world, to promote the quality of products and their compatibility with other systems such as the propulsion system on board, and finally to realize safe and efficient methanol fuel use in the maritime industry.