September 18, 2024
MITSUBISHI GAS CHEMICAL COMPANY, INC.

Mitsubishi Gas Chemical Joins Methanol Bunkering
Simulation in Yokohama~ Test Demonstrates Practicality of Using Methanol as Marine Fuel ~Mitsubishi Gas Chemical Company, Inc. (MGC, Head Office: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; President: Masashi Fujii))announced today that it joined the City of Yokohama , Maersk AS , Kokuka Sangyo Co., Ltd., Idemitsu Kosan
Co., Ltd., Uyeno Transtech Ltd. and Yokohama Kawasaki International Port Corporation in a simulation ofmethanol bunkering, or supplying methanol fuel, from Kokuka Sangyo’s methanol bunkering vessel, the Eika
Maru, to a container ship, the Alette Maersk, operated by Maersk at the Port of Yokohama.

From Left, the Alete Maersk, Niigata Prefecture Governor Hanazumi
MGC has been working with an increasing number of partners to facilitate the use of green methanol as amarine fuel in Japan, where demand is growing. For the simulation, MGC participated as a methanol supplier,and together with Kokuka Sangyo, an MGC group company that provided a methanol carrier as the bunkeringvessel, helped coordinate the equipment and expertise provided by the other participants, including to identify
issues in operation from coming alongside up to connecting the two ships with hoses.
The City of Yokohama, Maersk and MGC signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) last December topromote the utilization of green methanol at the Port of Yokohama and have since taken practical steps torealize their goal, including the recent simulation. Although established procedures exist for transferring
methanol between tankers that transport the chemical as cargo, the simulation was conducted as an important1

step toward establishing a method for replenishing fuel supplies for methanol-powered ships in Japan.
The simulation, supported by key partners contributing valuable assets, experience and know-how, hasconfirmed safe and practical methods as an important step toward not only methanol bunkering itself, but also
the achievement of carbon neutrality in Japan. MGC, together with the other six parties, will use the knowledge
gained from this simulation to study how to supply methanol as a marine fuel, including through cooperation
with relevant government agencies.
Marine fuels account for about 2.5% of global CO2 emissions, and efforts to switch to alternative fuels toreduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions are increasing. Methanol is considered a clean fuel due to its lowemissions of CO2 as well as nitrogen oxides (NOx), sulfur oxides (SOx) and particulate matter (PM) emissions
when burned. It is attracting interest as a carbon-neutral fuel, so increasing attempts are being pursued to
produce methanol from biomass, waste, and CO2 and hydrogen from renewable energy sources.
In the international shipping market, methanol has begun to be used as an environmentally friendly alternative
to heavy fuel oil, a non-renewable fossil resource, so the potential of methanol-fueled ships is receiving
increasing attention. The number of such vessels is expected to increase in Japan, so the establishment of amethanol bunkering system at Japanese ports is seen as a key to reducing GHG emissions from shipping
industry and maintaining the international competitiveness of Japanese ports.
Going forward, MGC is committed to contributing to carbon neutrality and related targets through its supplyof green methanol.
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Public Relations DepartmentAdministrative & Personnel Division
MITSUBISHI GAS CHEMICAL COMPANY, INC.
TEL: +81-3-3283-5040 https://www.mgc.co.jp/eng/2