The car-carrying CM Hong Kong takes on fuel at Tianjin Port. [Photo/WeChat account: touiztianjin]

Tianjin Port completed a landmark green methanol bunkering operation on Sept 22 for the world's first 9,300-car-capacity methanol dual-fuel roll-on, roll-off cargo ship, named the CM Hong Kong.

The 300-metric-ton shore-based fueling — using domestically produced methanol from Inner Mongolia autonomous region — was a milestone. It marked Tianjin's readiness for large-scale green methanol supplies and its emergence as a global hub for low-carbon marine fuels.

The methanol, made from waste tires and biomass, is ISCC-certified and reduces lifecycle carbon emissions by over 70 percent. The single refueling operation reduced an estimated 460 tons of carbon dioxide emissions, offering a replicable model elsewhere for sustainable shipping.

With dual-fuel vessels now accounting for over 50 percent of global newbuild tonnage, green methanol is rapidly gaining traction. Tianjin's proximity to China's key methanol production zones — combined with its advanced terminals, tank farms and multimodal transport links — is said to make it ideal for distribution.

To accelerate industry integration, Tianjin launched the green methanol alliance and service platform — connecting nearly 50 leading firms across production, trade, logistics, certification and finance. The platform has already exported 5,000 tons of methanol to Singapore and established a low-carbon supply chain from inland China to global ports.

Moving forwards, plans are for the port to introduce a spot trading market, launch a methanol price index and set global standards — all the while positioning itself as a leader in green fuel bunkering and trading.