1701 Methanol - The 'Best' Fuel We've Got

In Australia the going price for fuel grade methanol is ~$1000 for 200 liters... or $5 Au a liter...

If ships are using say 20 tons of bunker fuel a day (the dregs of the distillation of crude oil = something like grit free tar that only flows when heated), and they are swapping almost directly as a straight fuel change, to methanol, I wonder what they are paying for it per liter and who are they getting it off in such gargantuan quantities?

I quote:

"To illustrate the effect of rising fuel costs, consider the following example of a large modern container vessel used in Trans-Pacific trade, with an actual, maximum container capacity of 7,750 TEUs (twenty foot equivalents) or 3,875 FEUs (forty foot equivalents.) With the cost of bunker fuel at $552 per ton, and with fuel consumption of 217 tons per day, a single 28-day round trip voyage for this one vessel would produce a fuel bill of $3,353,952. This number could be greater for a number of reasons, such as if the voyage were more than 14 days long, or if the vessel were smaller and less fuel-efficient per container, or if scheduling delays required the vessel to speed up to stay on-schedule.
How much would it cost to keep 5 vessels going for an entire year, assuming the same costs?

Here’s the math: (5 ships) x (217 tons/day) x ($552/ton) x (365 days per year) = $218,605,800"

End Quote:

Since there is a HUGE difference in price for massive bulk purchases of low grade fuel by the thousands of metric tons and purchases of 200 liter drums.. but in going by this ratio of $3500 (US) per metric ton of methanol Vs, $550 (US) of bunker fuel, one would have to be buying methanol on a near equivalent price to make it cost effective.

The best prices for INDUSTRIAL GRADE methanol are around $400 a metric ton, but you have to buy a minimum of 30 tons at a time.... I mean this is a bit of a fishing expedition in it's own right.... and a reputable port type fuelling supplies is required... massive purchases and supply capabilities to match must exist and I think - speculatively that you might be able to get it for $300 US a ton, mindful of it's lower energy density, and say a 30% more frequent refuelling cycle - it's probably a good deal..... ?????? I don't know enough to give any kind of concrete prices...


The only places to buy methanol in Australia are racing fuel, cleaning and scientific / solvent supplies.

None of it is cheap.

AND it might require some refinery based digging to find it in 1000 liter quantities - I mean unless the suppliers are all importing it....

Anyway....

The first time I flew to the moon - was by using methanol... or more specifically Nitrated Methanol....

Yeah, expect Western governments to prohibit ANYTHING that encourages productivity, and big tech to "fact check" this video, eventually, for HAAATE SPEECH.