Energy company Mabanaft is investing in the future of low-carbon fuels by converting four tanks at its Blumensand terminal in the Port of Hamburg for methanol storage, according to the company’s release.
This multi-million-euro project aims to facilitate the import and distribution of methanol to northern Germany, supporting customer demand in shipping, other transport sectors, and the chemical industry.
“CO2-reduced methanol can be produced in several ways,” explains Joost Vespermann, Business Developer at Mabanaft. “These include e-methanol synthesis, biomethanol production, and blue methanol production with carbon capture.”
This flexibility allows Mabanaft to offer solutions tailored to regional legislation and customer preferences. The four tanks, with a combined capacity of approximately 20,000 cubic meters, will be converted in two stages, starting mid-2025.
Methanol storage is expected to commence in 2027, subject to the necessary approvals from the Hamburg Authority of Environment.
Mabanaft aims to simplify the transition for customers by making alternative fuels more accessible. The company is already supporting cruise lines and other shipping players in Europe in their transition to methanol. In January 2024, Mabanaft signed a letter of intent to supply green methanol to TUI Cruises.