Methanol is becoming an important part of the alternative fuel conversation in marine applications. As the shipping industry works toward lower-emission operation, methanol offers a practical pathway because it is liquid at ambient conditions, easier to store and handle than some other alternative fuels and compatible with dual-fuel engine strategies. 

However, methanol should not be viewed as a complete solution in isolation. Its environmental value depends heavily on how it is produced. Fossil-derived methanol does not deliver the same lifecycle carbon benefit as bio-methanol, e-methanol or other low-GHG methanol pathways. As a result, methanol is best understood as an emerging commercial fuel route, with adoption shaped by fuel availability, cost, infrastructure and regulation. 

This shift is already visible in the market. In 2023, Maersk launched Laura Maersk, described by the company as the world’s first methanol-enabled container vessel [1]. The vessel became a clear milestone for methanol in commercial shipping, showing that methanol-capable vessels are no longer only a future concept. 

For the wider industry, the question is now less about whether methanol can be used, and more about how its performance can be understood, managed and standardised as adoption develops. 

One important area is lubricity. 

Methanol is known to have poor natural lubricating properties compared with conventional marine fuels. In engine and fuel system design, this can often be mitigated through separate lubrication systems and appropriate engineering choices. However, that does not remove the need to understand wear behaviour. For fuel producers, additive developers, engine manufacturers and operators, the ability to assess how methanol behaves under controlled conditions remains valuable, particularly when lubricity-enhancing additives are being considered. 

This is where tribology becomes central. The issue is not only whether methanol meets a fuel specification, but how surfaces, materials, fuels and additives interact under real system conditions. 

The standards landscape is also still developing. ISO 6583:2024 - Methanol as a fuel for marine applications — General requirements and specifications, the first dedicated international standard for methanol as a fuel for marine applications, was published in November 2024. It defines overall fuel quality requirements for methanol used in marine engines and similar applications and introduces three grades: MMA, MMB and MMC. For grade MMA, the lubricity requirement is to be agreed between buyer and seller where required [2]. 

CIMAC, the global non-profit association supporting the development of ship propulsion, train drive and power generation technologies, has also produced a guideline/FAQ document for ISO 6583:2024 [2]. This reflects the fact that, while the standard is an important step forward, industry understanding around methanol specification, performance and testing is still evolving. 

To support this developing area, IP PM FK was published in June 2024 as a provisional test method for assessing methanol fuel lubricity using the HFRR. The method includes methanol fuels that may contain lubricity-enhancing additives and is currently at the precision-statement stage, with work continuing to define lubricity specification limits for methanol fuel [3]. 

The PCS Instruments HFRR can be used to conduct methanol fuel lubricity testing in accordance with the provisional IP PM FK method. When used with the Gasoline Conversion Kit, the system can hold 15 ml of test fuel and incorporates a two-piece PTFE sliding seal to reduce evaporation of volatile fuels to a minimum. 

This capability is important because methanol testing sits in a developing space. As further standardisation progresses, laboratories will need equipment and methods that can support robust, repeatable and comparable data. With the PCS Instruments HFRR already able to support testing in accordance with the provisional IP PM FK method, we are well positioned to help laboratories prepare for future methanol lubricity requirements as they continue to take shape. 

Methanol is now a credible part of the marine fuel transition, but it remains an emerging pathway rather than a settled one. Its wider role will depend on supply, cost, infrastructure, regulation and the ability to generate reliable performance data. Lubricity testing is one part of that picture, helping bridge the gap between fuel specification, wear understanding and real-world application. 

For PCS Instruments and its distributor network, this creates a timely and relevant opportunity. As methanol moves from early commercial adoption toward broader consideration, the need for trusted testing insight will only become more important. 

References 

[1] Maersk, “EU Commission President Names Landmark Methanol Vessel Laura Mærsk”, September 2023. Confirms Laura Mærsk as the world’s first methanol-enabled container vessel. 
https://www.maersk.com/news/articles/2023/09/14/eu-commission-president-names-landmark-methanol-vessel-as-laura-maersk 

[2] CIMAC, “Guideline/FAQ ISO 6583:2024 Methanol as a fuel for marine applications”, 2025. Supports the ISO 6583:2024 context, marine methanol grades, the grade MMA buyer-seller lubricity point and the wider need for industry guidance around the standard. 
https://www.cimac.com/cms/upload/workinggroups/WG7/CIMAC_Guideline_FAQ_ISO_6583_Methanol_01_2025.pdf 

[3] Energy Institute, “IP PM FK: Methanol fuel, Assessment of lubricity using the High-Frequency Reciprocating Rig”. Confirms that IP PM FK specifies an HFRR method for assessing methanol fuel lubricity, including fuels that may contain lubricity-enhancing additives. 
https://www.energyinst.org/technical/publications/topics/ip-test-methods/ip-pm-fk-methanol-fuel-assessment-of-lubricity-using-the-high-frequency-reciprocating-rig-hfrr