The port of Rotterdam has been the scene of one of the world's first large-scale operations to supply ethanol to an ocean-going vessel. The container ship Eco Levant, operated by the Singaporean shipping company X-Press Feeders and equipped with dual-fuel methanol engines, received last weekend a fuel composed of 90% biomethanol and 10% second-generation ethanol, both with ISCC EU sustainability certification.
The operation was coordinated by the Swiss firm METHANAVE, specialized in maritime energy transition, which acted as an independent project coordinator, supervising the fuel supply, regulatory alignment, and operational execution on board. Methanol and ethanol were supplied separately by the same river bunkering barge, and the mixing took place on board the Eco Levant once both batches were received.
Matthijs van Doorn, commercial director of the Port Authority of Rotterdam, has pointed out that the operation demonstrates that the port "is ready for a wide range of alternative fuels" and that the goal is to "enable the supply of all alternative and low-carbon emission fuels in the future, promoting greater sustainability in international maritime transport." Van Doorn added that this line of work responds to Rotterdam's ambition to "become the leading bunkering port for sustainable fuels."
Rotterdam is the second-largest bunkering port in the world, with approximately 10 million tons of fuel supplied annually. The Dutch port has been actively developing the necessary infrastructure for the supply of alternative fuels: in 2025, it successfully completed a pilot bunkering project with ammonia, and operations with green methanol are already established in the port area.
X-Press Feeders was one of the pioneering shipping companies in the use of methanol as marine fuel in the container ship segment. Shivendu Gadkar, responsible for fleet efficiency and performance, has stated that "maritime fuel options continue to evolve" and that the company considers it essential to "continue evaluating and developing viable solutions that can support the long-term decarbonization of our fleet." X-Press Feeders has a fleet of 14 methanol-powered vessels.
The trial with the ethanol and methanol mixture has allowed different participants to evaluate supply procedures, fuel handling processes, and operational performance on board under real commercial conditions. The data obtained during the operation will contribute, according to the companies involved, to expanding sector knowledge on the flexibility of using marine fuels and strategies for deploying low-emission alternatives.
The operation takes place at a time when the shipping industry is exploring multiple options for alternative fuels—methanol, ammonia, ethanol, hydrogen, LNG, and biofuels—to meet the decarbonization objectives of the International Maritime Organization, which aims to achieve net zero emissions from international maritime transport by around 2050.