The adoption of methanol faces significant challenges, with concerns about the availability and pricing of environmentally friendly fuels, and installing or retrofitting equipment on board vessels, particularly on tugs with limited tank capacities and engineroom space.

Mr Watson and Mr Gross will address these technical hurdles and highlight the importance of selecting the right methanol fuel-injection technology to meet operational needs. They will also share insights on safety considerations including fuel handling, storage and onboard safety measures.

Their technical paper draws on comprehensive studies conducted with external partners, as well as extensive internal engineering development. The presentation will also assess the potential commercial impact of these solutions, taking into account factors such as time-to-market and global fuel economies.

Following the presentation of their paper, Mr Watson and Mr Gross will participate in an extended panel discussion on methanol as marine fuel for tugs alongside Smit Lamnalco global director for LNG business and project development Andrew Brown, Society for Gas as a Marine Fuel general manager and chief operating officer Mark Bell and Wilson Sons executive director of tugboats Márcio Castro.