INTERVIEW: Guangzhou targets routine methanol bunkering, regional coordination

Guangzhou is seeking to turn green methanol bunkering demonstrations into a routine service by streamlining operating procedures, connecting fuel suppliers with buyers, and improving regulatory coordination with Shenzhen and Hong Kong, a port authority official told Platts, part of S&P Global Energy.

The southern Chinese port completed green methanol deliveries to a bulk carrier, a container ship, and a car carrier within 40 days in September and October, providing experience to expand the service, Wu Jia, a staff member of Guangzhou Port Authority, said in an interview.

"We hope to move beyond pilots and demonstrations toward routine bunkering in the future," Wu said.

The authority's priorities include reviewing the three operations to make subsequent deliveries more efficient and facilitating discussions among marine fuel suppliers and users.

"We need to sum up experience from these three bunkering operations and streamline the procedures to improve operational efficiency," she said. "We want to provide a platform for dialogue among the parties involved in marine energy and help bring suppliers and buyers together."

Wu also called for closer coordination among Guangzhou, Shenzhen, and Hong Kong, noting that the Daqing 268 bunker vessel had already delivered in all three locations.

"We hope to advance the alignment of regulatory practices and rules across the three places in the Greater Bay Area, to enable seamless and convenient green fuel bunkering across the region," she said. The interview did not specify a timetable for routine methanol service or contracted supply volumes.

Platts assessed Low-carbon methanol FOB Shanghai at $815/mt on Oct. 29, unchanged day over day.

Broader bunkering coverage

Guangzhou's first green methanol bunkering operation took place Sept. 6, when Daqing 268 supplied 1,021 mt to the bulk carrier Green Future at Dayushan anchorage, according to the port authority. The fuel carried is ISCC EU-certified.

On Sept. 28, the same bunker ship supplied 300 mt of green methanol to the container ship COSCO Shipping Carnation at Nansha's phase II terminal, establishing a berthside service alongside the anchorage option.

The operation allowed container handling outside the restricted bunkering area to proceed during refueling, avoiding a separate trip to an anchorage, Nansha maritime authorities said in a Sept. 30 statement.

The port added a third vessel category Oct. 16, when the car carrier Guang Rong received 1,400 mt of bonded green methanol at Nansha's automotive port, according to Guangzhou Port Authority.

The authority said the operation made Guangzhou the world's first port to have carried out green methanol bunkering for container ships, bulk carriers, and car carriers.

Demand guides fuel infrastructure

Guangzhou's infrastructure planning is being shaped by shipping companies' fuel requirements and the different needs of ocean-going and regional vessels, Wu said.

"Only by grasping fuel demand can ports develop targeted planning and layout for alternative fuels," she said. "We believe each port has its own geographic advantages and resource endowments, which shape its choice of alternative fuel supply pathways."

Guangzhou can already supply LNG, biofuel bunkers, and green methanol, Wu said, with a range of fuel infrastructure needed to serve different vessels.

"We think it is crucial for ports to build infrastructure for a range of green fuels, because visiting vessels have diverse needs," she said.

The port is also working with Los Angeles to develop a transpacific green shipping corridor. The ports signed a cooperation MOU in October 2023 covering the corridor, digital supply-chain infrastructure, and other emissions-reduction initiatives. Los Angeles reiterated Guangzhou's status as a green corridor partner in a July 9 announcement.

For regional shipping, Guangzhou is prioritizing vessel electrification and the facilities needed to support it. "Within the Greater Bay Area, our focus is on planning and building charging and battery-swapping facilities for vessels," Wu said.

According to the port authority, Guangzhou Port has also rolled out electrification across all links of its operations: the battery-electric tug Suigang Diantuo 01 entered service in April 2025, and full shore-power berth coverage was achieved in December 2025.

A battery-powered container shipping route linking Nansha and Hong Kong International Terminals commenced operations on Oct. 13. The inaugural sailing was operated by Sui Gang Dian Hang 02, part of a series of ships equipped with containerized batteries and charging and battery-swapping capabilities.