Ethanol can use the dual-fuel engines and bunkering infrastructure built for methanol with limited modification. That gives shipowners a readily available fuel for a growing fleet at a time when supply of low-emission methanol remains constrained, according to a new study published today by the Maritime Ethanol & Methanol Alliance (MEMA), a platform of the Global Centre for Green Fuels (GCGF).

According to the study, Marine Ethanol: Unlocking the US Opportunity, ethanol can support the more than 300 methanol-capable vessels in service or on order, either on its own or blended with methanol.

The study adds that the US is well placed to meet shipping’s growing demand for biofuels. US plants can produce 18.5 billion gallons a year against 2025 output of 16.4 billion gallons, leaving around 2 billion gallons of spare capacity. The US already produces just over half of the world’s fuel ethanol. It exports to…