BIMCO’s Document Committee has added Methanol Annex to its Bunker Terms 2018, providing a legal and practical framework for methanol bunkering as the industry accelerates its shift towards low-carbon fuels.
The annex updates key definitions to reflect methanol’s growing role in marine fuel supply and underscores the need for sustainability certification to confirm fuel origin and environmental compliance under measures such as FuelEU Maritime.
“The Methanol Annex has been developed in close consultation with industry stakeholders and technical experts to ensure that it meets the practical and legal requirements of methanol as a marine fuel. It reflects on current industry practices and anticipates future developments in the regulatory area,” said Nicholas Fell, Chairperson of BIMCO’s Documentary Committee.
The new framework allows contracting parties to set GHG intensity limits, choose emissions calculation methods, and agree on fossil comparators through a flexible Election Sheet, ensuring adaptability to future regulatory developments.
Addressing methanol’s toxic and flammable nature, the annex also mandates closed or remote sounding procedures during bunkering and provides detailed guidance on sampling and measurement to enhance operational safety.
“Building on the momentum of the LNG Annex adopted in 2023, the Methanol Annex was a natural next step. We’re continuing to develop and standardise supply terms for new fuels, with an Ammonia Annex and a Biofuels Clause for Time Charter Parties to follow,” said Stinne Taiger Ivø, BIMCO’s Deputy Secretary General and Director of Contracts.
