据普氏能源资讯7月12日报道称，Waterfront航运公司及其母公司Methanex的高管表示，甲醇作为船用燃料的使用量预计将在IMO 2020之前有所增长。 2020年为国际海事组织对全球船用燃料的硫含量上限作出规定的年份。今年，该公司将推出使用清洁燃料的新型船舶。

“随着船东们为2020年做出准备，我们预计，人们对甲醇的兴趣日益浓厚，”Waterfront 航运公司总裁Paul Hexter在和Methanex公司业务发展总监Stuart McCall接受普氏能源资讯采访时表示。

Methanex的全资子公司Waterfront 航运公司正在推出四艘由甲醇驱动的远洋船舶，其中第一艘预计将于8月中旬交付，其余三艘将于今年年底交付。

这四艘49,000吨级载重船舶将配备双燃料发动机，能够同时使用燃油、船用柴油或瓦斯油运行。

更严格的国际海事组织（IMO）排放法规将使全球船用燃料的硫含量从3.5％降至2020年的0.5％，这导致人们对清洁燃料的兴趣越来越浓厚。

与传统燃料相比，甲醇显著降低了硫、氮、颗粒物和碳排放。

Hexter表示：“车主们将使用甲醇等燃料，他们认为这些燃料经过验证，具有成本竞争力，并且是可用的。”

“现阶段对甲醇作为船用燃料的需求很难预测。我们可以说，甲醇在全球范围内都是可用的，易于处理、运输、储存和交付，预计会引起越来越多的兴趣，”Hexter说。

徐蕾 摘译自 普氏能源资讯

原文如下：

Demand for methanol as marine fuel to grow ahead of IMO 2020

Methanol's use as a marine fuel was expected to grow ahead of IMO 2020 -- the lower sulfur cap on marine fuel globally -- with Waterfront Shipping Company launching new vessels running on the clean fuel this year, executives from the company and its parent, Methanex, said.

"We expect to see an increasing interest in methanol as owners get ready for 2020," Waterfront Shipping president Paul Hexter said. He and Stuart McCall, Director of Business Development at Methanex Corporation, spoke to S&P Global Platts in an interview.

Waterfront Shipping, a wholly owned subsidiary of Methanex, is launching four ocean-going vessels powered by methanol with the first expected to be delivered mid-August and the other three by the end of this year.

The four 49,000 dwt vessels will have dual-fuel engines, able to run also on fuel oil, marine diesel oil or gas oil.

Stricter International Maritime Organization emissions regulations, which will see the sulfur limit in marine fuel globally dropping to 0.5% in 2020 from 3.5%, have led to a growing interest for cleaner fuels.

Methanol significantly reduces sulfur, nitrogen, particulate matter and carbon emissions when compared to conventional fuels.

"Owners will use fuels, such as methanol, they see as proven, cost-competitive and available," Hexter said.

"Demand for methanol as a marine fuel is tough to predict at this stage. What we can say is that methanol is globally available, easy to handle, transport, store and deliver and expect to see increasing interest," Hexter said.