Process for recovering methanol from process offgases from a methanol synthesis, comprising the following process steps: (a) reacting a synthesis gas stream under methanol synthesis conditions in at least one methanol synthesis reactor arranged in a synthesis gas circuit for unconverted synthesis gas, (b) discharging a liquid crude methanol stream from the synthesis gas circuit and discharging a purge gas stream from the synthesis gas circuit, wherein the purge gas stream is laden with methanol vapour, (c) introducing the purge gas stream into a purge gas scrubbing apparatus, contacting the purge gas stream in the purge gas apparatus with a water stream as scrubbing medium which is passed through the purge gas scrubbing apparatus countercurrently to the purge gas stream, wherein the water stream absorbs at least part of the methanol from the purge gas stream, (d) discharging a methanol-laden water stream and a methanol-depleted purge gas stream from the purge gas scrubbing apparatus, (e) introducing the liquid crude methanol stream into a decompression vessel in which the pressure of the liquid crude methanol stream is reduced to obtain a methanol-laden decompression gas stream and a decompressed crude methanol stream, (f) introducing the decompression stream into a decompression gas scrubbing apparatus, contacting the decompression gas stream in the decompression gas scrubbing apparatus with a water stream as scrubbing medium which is passed through the decompression gas scrubbing apparatus countercurrently to the decompression gas stream, wherein the water stream absorbs at least part of the methanol from the decompression gas stream, (g) discharging a methanol-laden water stream and a methanol-depleted decompression gas stream from the decompression gas scrubbing apparatus, wherein the methanol-laden water stream is added to the decompressed crude methanol stream, (h) introducing the decompressed crude methanol stream into a storage tank in which it is stored until further processing or further use and covered by an inertization gas which becomes laden with methanol, (i) discharging a methanol-laden inertization gas stream from the storage tank and introducing it into an inertization gas scrubbing apparatus, contacting the inertization gas stream in the inertization gas scrubbing apparatus with a water stream as scrubbing medium which is passed through the inertization gas scrubbing apparatus countercurrently to the inertization gas stream, wherein the water stream absorbs at least part of the methanol from the inertization gas stream, (j) discharging a methanol-laden water stream and a methanol-depleted inertization gas stream from the inertization gas scrubbing apparatus. (a) reacting a synthesis gas stream under methanol synthesis conditions in at least one methanol synthesis reactor arranged in a synthesis gas circuit for unconverted synthesis gas, (b) discharging a liquid crude methanol stream from the synthesis gas circuit and discharging a purge gas stream from the synthesis gas circuit, wherein the purge gas stream is laden with methanol vapour, (c) introducing the purge gas stream into a purge gas scrubbing apparatus, contacting the purge gas stream in the purge gas apparatus with a water stream as scrubbing medium which is passed through the purge gas scrubbing apparatus countercurrently to the purge gas stream, wherein the water stream absorbs at least part of the methanol from the purge gas stream, (d) discharging a methanol-laden water stream and a methanol-depleted purge gas stream from the purge gas scrubbing apparatus, (e) introducing the liquid crude methanol stream into a decompression vessel in which the pressure of the liquid crude methanol stream is reduced to obtain a methanol-laden decompression gas stream and a decompressed crude methanol stream, (f) introducing the decompression stream into a decompression gas scrubbing apparatus, contacting the decompression gas stream in the decompression gas scrubbing apparatus with a water stream as scrubbing medium which is passed through the decompression gas scrubbing apparatus countercurrently to the decompression gas stream, wherein the water stream absorbs at least part of the methanol from the decompression gas stream, (g) discharging a methanol-laden water stream and a methanol-depleted decompression gas stream from the decompression gas scrubbing apparatus, wherein the methanol-laden water stream is added to the decompressed crude methanol stream, (h) introducing the decompressed crude methanol stream into a storage tank in which it is stored until further processing or further use and covered by an inertization gas which becomes laden with methanol, (i) discharging a methanol-laden inertization gas stream from the storage tank and introducing it into an inertization gas scrubbing apparatus, contacting the inertization gas stream in the inertization gas scrubbing apparatus with a water stream as scrubbing medium which is passed through the inertization gas scrubbing apparatus countercurrently to the inertization gas stream, wherein the water stream absorbs at least part of the methanol from the inertization gas stream, (j) discharging a methanol-laden water stream and a methanol-depleted inertization gas stream from the inertization gas scrubbing apparatus.