China's green shipping ambitions took a significant step forward as the country's first bonded green methanol bunkering operation in the northeast was completed at Dalian Port in Liaoning province recently.

The operation fueled the COSCO Shipping Yangpu, China's first methanol dual-fuel container vessel, with 500 metric tons of domestically produced, internationally certified green methanol. The move fills a key gap in Dalian's international maritime bunkering services and signals the establishment of a green shipping fuel supply chain across Northeast Asia.

The green methanol was sourced entirely from China's largest production bases in Heilongjiang province and the Inner Mongolia autonomous region. Produced through proprietary gasification synthesis technology using renewable feedstocks such as agricultural residues and recycled tires, the fuel holds international ISCC certification for sustainability and carbon neutrality. Compared with conventional fossil fuels, the 500-ton fuel load is expected to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by more than 800 tons during the vessel's operation.

The Liaoning Maritime Safety Administration oversaw the ship-to-ship bunkering operation, ensuring compliance with safety and environmental protocols. Its "three-full" service model provided comprehensive supervision covering personnel, vessel conditions, cargo handling and environmental safeguards, supported by sea, air and land enforcement.

Dalian Port is now among a handful of global ports offering bunkering services across multiple alternative marine fuels, including biofuels, green methanol, LNG and ammonia, positioning it as a critical hub in Northeast Asia's green shipping network.

Measuring 366 meters in length and capable of carrying more than 16,000 TEUs, the COSCO Shipping Yangpu will deploy the green fuel on routes to the Americas, serving as a "mobile declaration" of China's determination to decarbonize its shipping industry.

To facilitate the operation, China Ship Fuel Company partnered with government agencies and the Dalian Free Trade Zone to implement an integrated "one-stop" regulatory service. The collaboration combined bonded and export supervision warehouses to cut costs, introduced a fast-track "direct departure and direct docking" channel to improve port efficiency, and established a supply chain link between northern green methanol production and southern demand.

ALSO READ: China's smart training ship starts intelligent navigation experiment voyage

The milestone is part of China Ship Fuel's broader plan to build a global green shipping fuel network based on quality, quantity, pricing, safety and integrity. With dual bunkering hubs at Dalian and Yangshan, the company aims to support China's role in the global maritime green transition.

The Liaoning Maritime Safety Administration said it will continue enhancing regulatory services for green fuel bunkering and support the development of a secure, efficient and low-carbon maritime fuel ecosystem across Northeast Asia.