The CMA CGM OSMIUM container ship has completed what is considered the largest supply of biomethanol carried out to date in a single operation at the port of Shanghai, with a total of 8,016 tons of this fuel loaded on board. The operation took place on August 17 in the Yangshan port area with the participation of CMA CGM, Shanghai Electric Group, and Shanghai International Port Group (SIPG).
The supplied volume will allow the vessel to fully cover its journey from Shanghai to the east coast of South America with biomethanol. According to data provided by CMA CGM, the use of this fuel during the crossing will result in an estimated reduction of emissions equivalent to about 10,000 tons of CO₂.
The operation far exceeds the previous supply made to the same vessel in Yangshan on March 5 and 6 of this year. On that occasion, the CMA CGM OSMIUM received 3,643 tons of biomethanol, in the first operation of this type developed by CMA CGM and at that time constituted the largest individual supply recorded in a Chinese port.
The fuel used in the August operation mainly comes from the green methanol project in Taonan, developed by Shanghai Electric in the Chinese province of Jilin. The facility utilizes wind, solar, and biomass resources for the production of biomethanol and is part of the industrial structure created to supply alternative fuels to maritime transport from the northeast of the country to major Chinese ports.
The logistics of the product is articulated through an established interprovincial corridor between Shanghai, Jilin, and Liaoning. The scheme includes the production of methanol in Taonan, its transfer to the port of Dalian for transit and storage operations, and subsequently its maritime transport to Shanghai, where delivery to the ships takes place.
This chain allows for direct connection between the production facility and the bunkering operations in Yangshan and continues the cooperation agreement signed in March 2025 between CMA CGM, SIPG Energy, and Shanghai Electric to develop an integrated supply chain for green methanol. The agreement established that Shanghai Electric would provide fuel to the French shipping company in the medium and long term, while the logistics to Yangshan would be articulated through land and maritime transport.
The CMA CGM OSMIUM is a new generation container ship with a capacity of about 13,000 TEU and equipped with dual propulsion prepared to consume methanol. The vessel had already served in March for the world’s first biomethanol supply operation by CMA CGM, also carried out in Yangshan.
The French shipping company is progressively incorporating dual-fuel ships into its fleet as part of its strategy to reduce emissions associated with maritime transport. CMA CGM plans to operate around 200 container ships of this type by 2031, capable of using different fuels with a lower carbon footprint, including bio-LNG, e-LNG, biomethanol, and e-methanol.
Biomethanol is obtained from renewable raw materials or biomass waste and can be used in engines prepared to consume methanol. According to CMA CGM, this fuel can offer reductions exceeding 65% in greenhouse gas emissions during its life cycle compared to conventional marine fuels, although the result depends on factors such as the origin of the raw materials, the production process, and the associated logistics.
The August operation also represents a larger-scale test for the supply model developed among the participating companies. The availability of sufficient volumes is one of the main factors to extend the use of alternative fuels in intercontinental maritime services, especially in large-capacity container ships and routes with high consumption.
Shanghai Electric plans to expand this structure through new projects related to biomass gasification, green hydrogen production, methanol, and sustainable aviation fuel. Among the planned actions is the second phase of the Taonan project, designed to increase the available capacity for both maritime applications and other transport sectors.
For the port of Shanghai, these operations are integrated into its development as a supply point for new maritime fuels. Yangshan has already hosted two supplies of biomethanol to the CMA CGM OSMIUM during 2026, increasing from the 3,643 tons supplied in March to the 8,016 tons from the operation carried out in August.
The new supply represents more than double the volume loaded in March and expands the scale achieved by the chain formed by the Taonan plant, storage, and transit through Dalian to the final supply in Shanghai. The operation also allows the use of biomethanol as fuel for a complete intercontinental voyage between Asia and the eastern coast of South America.