By Sue-Ann Wayow
FOR the first time in Trinidad and Tobago, an in-person naming ceremony was held for a fleet of low-emission methanol-fuelled tankers.
The fleet belongs to Proman’s Stena Bulk, of Proman’s global production hubs.
Proman’s first state-of-the-art newbuild IMOIIMeMAX methanol fuelled 49,900 DWT vessel, Stena Pro Patria was named in a ceremony hosted on Wednesday.
In a press release on Thursday by Proman and Stena Bulk, it stated that Stena Pro Patria was the first of three methanol-fuelled vessels delivered in 2022 to the joint venture between leading tanker company Stena Bulk and the leading methanol producer Proman, with a further three newbuilds due for delivery between by 2024.
The naming ceremony was attended by Prime Minister, Dr Keith Rowley and Minister of Energy and Energy Industries Stuart Young.
During the visit, Stena’s leadership, including William Olsson, Chairman of Stena Sessan AB and Board Member Stena AB, Erik Hånell, President & CEO Stena Bulk AB and Markus Lindbom, CEO Stena Rederi AB had an opportunity to visit Proman’s 14 petrochemical production facilities in the Point Lisas Industrial Estate, as part of a plant tour led by Proman’s Chief Executive David Cassidy.
Proman’s facilities include the world-scale M5000 methanol plant, which produces industry-leading low-carbon methanol by recycling CO2 produced from nearby ammonia plants.
About IMOIIMeMax and Stena Pro Patria
Stena Pro Patria was delivered in June 2022 and has demonstrated an unprecedently low EEDI (Energy Efficiency Design Index) value while running on methanol, the release stated.
The IMOIIMeMax vessel series benefits from industry-leading design improvements and technologies to maximise energy efficiency, resulting in an EEDI 11% below the 2025 Phase 3 requirements – setting a new benchmark for two methanol-fuelled tankers and further proving the operational viability of methanol as a marine fuel.
Stena Pro Patria will use approximately 12,500 tonnes of methanol as fuel per year, which will significantly reduce the volume of greenhouse gas emissions resulting from the vessel’s commercial operations compared to conventional marine fuels.
Dr Rowley, in his address said, “What we are aiming to do is to make Trinidad and Tobago a major refuelling hub for oceangoing vessels that can be refuelled by clean fuel.”
Head of Stena Bulk Erik Hånell said, “We must also recognise the role that Trinidad and Tobago has played in making this naming ceremony a reality. As an important methanol shipping hub, there was no better place to hold this important event for Stena Pro Patria and our joint venture.”
Chief Executive Officer of Proman David Cassidy, added, “We were delighted to welcome our Stena partners to Trinidad and Tobago, which has huge potential as a future methanol bunkering hub… Stena Pro Patria is a very special vessel, as the first tanker in our joint venture with Stena Bulk and due to her deeper connection to the Proman family.”
The Naming Ceremony was held in Trinidad and Tobago to honour Stena Pro Patria’s connection to Dennis Patrick, the late Chief Executive of Proman’s subsidiary Methanol Holdings (Trinidad) Limited (MHTL), for whom the vessel is named.
Dennis Patrick was a deeply valued colleague and longstanding member of the Proman family. Cassandra Patrick is the godmother of Stena Pro Patria, the release stated.
About Stena Bulk
With offices in seven countries, Stena Bulk is one of the world’s leading tanker shipping companies. The company controls a combined fleet of around 110 vessels. Stena Bulk is part of the Stena Sphere, which has more than 20,000 employees and sales of SEK 60 billion.
Stena is one of the largest family-owned business groups in Sweden and operates worldwide within different businesses such as Ferry Operations, Offshore Drilling, Shipping, Property, Finance, New Businesses and Recycling. Head office is in Gothenburg, Sweden.
