Port of Long Beach Offers $1 Million Prize For First Methanol Bunkering

The Port of Long Beach is offering a $1 million prize to the first ocean-going vessel to complete a commercial-scale methanol bunkering operation at the Southern California gateway, marking one of the most aggressive U.S. port incentives yet aimed at accelerating the maritime industry’s shift toward lower-carbon fuels.

Approved this week by the Long Beach Harbor Commission, the new “Clean Fuel Bunkering Challenge” is designed to help jumpstart a North American methanol marine fuel market as shipowners increasingly invest in dual-fuel methanol vessels.

“We know the shipping industry is considering moving toward adopting methanol marine fuel for some great reasons – they