Methanol Institute granted Consultative Status at IMO

The Methanol Institute (MI), the global trade association, representing methanol producers and distributors, transporters, shipowners and technology companies, has been granted consultative status by the International Maritime Organization (IMO). Consultative status is reserved for non-governmental, international organizations that have the capability to make a substantial contribution to the work of IMO.

Methanol Institute joins a roster of organizations contributing to development of shipping industry regulation. (Photo: Methanol Institute)

Working in partnership with its members, MI has worked to raise the profile of methanol as a marine fuel, including advocating for its inclusion in the revised International Code for Gas Fuelled Ships (The IGF Code) in 2020. Since then, MI has worked to inform policy initiatives at a regional and global level; support standards for bunkering and crew training; collaborated on shipyard vessel designs; and joined other cross-industry groups supporting the decarbonization of the maritime supply chain.

In being granted consultative status by the IMO, MI will now be able to attend meetings as an observer and offer expert input on discussions in plenary and working groups. The organization aims to use its status to work more closely with member countries to:

• establish robust regulatory frameworks for low-carbon shipping fuels;
• develop standards for the safe design, operation and bunkering of methanol;
• and create market-based measures to support the introduction of low-carbon and renewable methanol.

“Methanol Institute steps into its consultative status at a pivotal moment, when the shipping industry continues to make strides in the transition to alternative fuels with a significant rise in orders for cleaner ships.” said MI Chief Executive Officer Gregory Dolan. “We are grateful to IMO member states for recognizing the added value our organization’s expertise can bring to the table, and we are looking forward to contributing to the IMO’s important work towards achieving net-zero by 2050.”