DALIAN, CHINA – July 25, 2025 – VTTI Dalian (VTD), a strategic terminal within the global VTTI network and a 50/50 joint venture with the Port of Dalian Authority (PDA), has successfully completed Northeast China’s first bonded green methanol ship-to-ship (STS) bunkering operation. The landmark event, held at Dalian Port, marks a major milestone in the development of sustainable marine fuel supply chains across Northeast Asia and reinforces VTTI’s commitment to accelerating the maritime energy transition.
The pioneering bunkering operation transferred 500 metric tons of internationally certified green methanol to the COSCO Shipping Yangpu, China’s first methanol dual-fuel container vessel. This green methanol is domestically sourced from production facilities in Heilongjiang Province and Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. Certified under the International Sustainability and Carbon Certification (ISCC) scheme, the fuel is produced using proprietary gasification synthesis technology based on renewable feedstocks. The volume supplied is expected to reduce the vessel’s carbon dioxide emissions by over 800 tons during operation, significantly contributing to decarbonization of long-haul shipping.
Janice Kuan, Senior Vice President Commercial at VTTI, stated, “This initiative exemplifies our dedication to supporting the maritime sector’s energy transition. Facilitating green methanol bunkering at VTTI Dalian empowers our partners to adopt cleaner fuels while advancing VTTI’s vision of building a robust infrastructure for a net-zero future.”
VTTI Dalian: A Key Regional Hub for Sustainable Fuel Distribution
Located in Dalian Port—the principal port of Northeast China—VTTI Dalian operates as an independent public terminal critical to regional industrial and commercial activities. The terminal’s advanced infrastructure includes 51 storage tanks with a combined capacity of nearly 120,000 cubic meters, ranging in size from 650 to 5,000 cubic meters.
Key terminal features include:
- Four jetties supporting vessels from 1,000 DWT to 50,000 DWT, with a maximum draft of 14.1 meters, enabling efficient bunkering for a wide range of ship sizes.
- Specialized chemical storage facilities designed to safely handle alternative fuels like green methanol.
- Multimodal connectivity via railcar loading/discharging linked directly to inland refineries, complemented by road and maritime access, ensuring streamlined fuel distribution from production to vessel.
- An ice-free port environment, guaranteeing year-round, uninterrupted bunkering operations.
Dalian Port’s growing multi-fuel capabilities—offering biofuels, green methanol, LNG, and ammonia—position it as a vital hub in Northeast Asia’s emerging green shipping corridor.
Following successful green methanol bunkering operations at China’s three key ports—Dalian Port, Yangshan Port in Shanghai, and Yangpu Port in Hainan province—a comprehensive green methanol supply chain network has emerged, spanning the country from north to south. This network lays a solid foundation for COSCO SHIPPING’s future decarbonization efforts and provides sustainable solutions for the global shipping industry.
Driving the Global Energy Transition
This successful green methanol bunkering supports VTTI’s strategy to focus on sustainable and transitional energies, aiming for 50% of earnings from these sources by 2028. Founded in 2006 and headquartered in Rotterdam, VTTI is jointly owned by IFM Investors, Vitol, and ADNOC. Leveraging its global terminal network, VTTI invests in infrastructure for cleaner fuels like LNG, renewable natural gas, hydrogen, and bio-based chemicals, reinforcing its commitment to helping the maritime industry meet IMO emission targets and advance decarbonization.
The milestone at VTTI Dalian sets a strong precedent for expanding alternative fuel services across Northeast China and Asia, demonstrating the adaptability of existing terminal infrastructure to new sustainable marine fuel technologies.
About VTTI
VTTI is a global leader in energy storage and logistics, providing safe, secure, and efficient handling of a wide range of fuels and chemicals through a network of strategically located terminals. Guided by its purpose, “Energy to Move Tomorrow,” VTTI is actively developing infrastructure for transitional and sustainable energies, including LNG, renewable natural gas, hydrogen, and biofuels. The company aims to broaden global access to cleaner energy sources while accelerating the energy transition for customers and partners worldwide. VTTI is headquartered in Rotterdam, Netherlands, and is owned by IFM Investors, Vitol, and ADNOC.
Source VTTI