Guangzhou Port Completes First Green Methanol Bunkering

First Terminal-Based Green Methanol Bunkering at Nansha

Guangzhou Port has carried out its first green methanol bunkering operation for an international container ship at the Nansha Port Area, according to a report by Ship & Bunker. The operation took place on September 28, with the bunkering vessel Daqing 268 delivering about 300 mt of green methanol to the Cosco Shipping Carnation at Nansha Container Terminal Phase II, the Guangzhou Port Authority said.

The fuel was sourced from the Nansha Hongda Storage Warehouse and delivered via a ship-to-ship pipeline system, rather than truck-to-ship transfer, according to the report.

Expanding Bunkering Infrastructure

This operation follows an earlier milestone on September 6, when the Daqing 268 supplied 1,021 mt of green methanol to the Greenfuture at anchorage — the port’s first anchorage-based green methanol bunkering. Together, the two operations mean Guangzhou’s green methanol bunkering services now cover both terminal berths and anchorage positions, broadening the port’s capability to serve methanol dual-fuel vessels regardless of where they are moored.

Vessel Details

The Cosco Shipping Carnation receiving the fuel is a 16,000 TEU methanol dual-fuel container ship equipped with an 11,000 m3 methanol storage tank. The vessel has bunkered methanol on multiple previous occasions at Yantian, China, indicating an established pattern of methanol refueling within the Cosco fleet along the Chinese coast.

Why It Matters for Operators

As more container lines bring methanol dual-fuel newbuilds into service, the availability of reliable bunkering infrastructure at major Chinese ports becomes a practical consideration for route planning and fuel strategy. Guangzhou’s move to offer both terminal and anchorage-based green methanol supply adds operational flexibility for vessels calling at the Pearl River Delta, potentially reducing detours or scheduling constraints tied to refueling needs.

For ship managers and technical superintendents overseeing dual-fuel newbuilds, port-level developments like this provide an early indicator of which bunkering hubs are building out methanol capability alongside conventional fuel oil and gas offerings.

Apeks view — For owners committing to methanol dual-fuel newbuilds, infrastructure proof points matter more than announcements. Two operations don’t establish a reliable supply network, but documented terminal and anchorage transfers at a major port give technical managers something concrete to factor into route and bunkering plans. The practical questions remain: consistency of supply, pricing, and whether other Pearl River Delta terminals follow. Track record, not press releases, will answer those.