SRC Group has announced that its ‘Methanol Superstorage Technology’ – which it describes as a ‘highly space efficient methanol and ethanol fuel storage solution’ – has been granted Approval in Principle (AiP) from RINA.
According to SRC, the technology makes it possible to integrate methanol fuel seamlessly into the ‘limited storage space available onboard a ship’.
In a statement issued on its website this week, SRC said that ship tanks storing low flashpoint fuels include a cofferdam of at least 600mm to separate the internal and external walls. Furthermore, because it is less energy dense than heavy fuel oil (HFO), a methanol tank needs to hold 2.4 times the amount to generate the same energy, with consequences for ship range and design.
To meet these challenges, SRC Methanol Superstorage replaces the internal wall-cofferdam-external wall solution with a solid elastomer core ‘sandwiched’ between two steel plates. According to SRC: ‘Providing a triple barrier against leakage, the 25mm thick Sandwich Plate System Technology walls deliver 85% more volume.’
Simone Manca, Vice President of RINA North Asia, commented: ‘Approval in Principle for SRC Methanol Superstorage Technology recognises that the solution offers significant potential as an enabler for adopting methanol as a marine fuel.’
Alex Vainokivi, Innovation Manager, SRC Group, added: ‘This is another sizeable step forward for industry acceptance of Methanol Superstorage and offers owners clarity as they evaluate an alternative fuel that will stand the test of time in meeting shipping’s decarbonisation targets.
‘Methanol Superstorage can be retrofitted without significant disruption to a vessel’s general arrangement. RINA’s comprehensive AiP confirms that it is applicable across a full range of ship types.’
