China's first mass‑produced green methanol project goes online with 99.9% purity
China has completed and officially put into operation its first large‑scale green methanol project, achieving a breakthrough in clean energy production. Located in Zhanjiang, Guangdong Province, the facility uses bark, straw, and other biomass waste as raw materials, converting them through high‑temperature gasification at around 1,000 degrees Celsius to produce methanol with a purity of 99.9%.
The project is equipped with a 30,000‑cubic‑meter storage tank and a dedicated berth at Zhanjiang Port, forming a one‑hour closed loop of production, storage, and transportation. A ship bunkering network has also been laid out across the Greater Bay Area, making Zhanjiang the closest green methanol export point to Singapore. Compared with fossil fuels, lifecycle carbon emissions are reduced by more than 85%, positioning green methanol as one of the most competitive sustainable fuels for shipping.
During production, biomass is converted into syngas-carbon monoxide and hydrogen-while over 99% of dust is removed through advanced filtration. Residual byproducts can be reused in industries such as cement manufacturing, ensuring resource recycling. The project establishes South China's first full‑chain green methanol ecosystem covering production, storage, transportation, and application, enabling same‑day delivery to ships in the Greater Bay Area and significantly lowering the carbon footprint of logistics.
Ren Jian, chief engineer of CIMC Green Energy Low Carbon Technology, emphasized that green methanol offers the greatest carbon reduction potential among sustainable shipping fuels. Its adoption is expected to accelerate the decarbonization of global maritime transport.
CIMC Green Energy Low Carbon Technology Co., Ltd. is part of China International Marine Containers (CIMC), a leading Chinese conglomerate founded in 1980 and headquartered in Shenzhen. CIMC is best known globally for manufacturing shipping containers, but it has expanded into energy, logistics, and clean technology. The company has invested heavily in renewable energy solutions, including hydrogen and methanol, aiming to provide practical pathways for reducing carbon emissions in shipping and industrial applications.
