The Methanol Institute (MI) has been granted consultative status by the International Maritime Organization (IMO), marking a significant milestone for the organization and the global methanol industry.
Consultative status is a prestigious designation reserved for non-governmental, international organizations that demonstrate the ability to make substantial contributions to the work of the IMO. With this status, MI will now have the opportunity to attend IMO meetings as an observer and provide expert input during discussions in both plenary and working groups.
Gregory Dolan, Chief Executive Officer of the Methanol Institute, commented on the development “The Methanol Institute steps into its consultative status at a pivotal moment, when the shipping industry continues to make strides in the transition to alternative fuels with a significant rise in orders for cleaner ships. We are grateful to IMO member states for recognizing the added value our organization’s expertise can bring to the table, and we are looking forward to contributing to the IMO’s important work towards achieving net-zero by 2050.”
In its new role, MI plans to leverage its global perspective and expertise to work more closely with IMO member countries. The organization aims to help establish robust regulatory frameworks for low-carbon shipping fuels, develop standards for the safe design, operation, and bunkering of methanol, and create market-based measures to support the introduction of low-carbon and renewable methanol.
MI has been a strong advocate for methanol as a marine fuel. Notably, it played a key role in advocating for methanol’s inclusion in the revised International Code for Gas Fuelled Ships (The IGF Code) in 2020. Since then, MI has actively supported policy initiatives at both regional and global levels, contributed to the development of bunkering and crew training standards, collaborated on vessel designs with shipyards, and joined cross-industry groups dedicated to the decarbonization of the maritime supply chain.
The IMO Council’s decision to grant MI consultative status is a testament to the organization’s ongoing commitment and contributions to advancing the maritime industry’s sustainability goals. Further details on the IMO Council’s decision can be found here.
About Methanol Institute (MI)
The Methanol Institute (MI) is the global trade association representing the world’s leading methanol producers, distributors, transporters, shipowners, and technology companies. With over 100 members and offices in Washington D.C., Brussels, Delhi, Singapore, and Beijing, MI serves as the voice of the global methanol industry. The Institute promotes methanol as a key chemical building block and an alternative fuel for transportation and power generation.
Source Methanol Institute