From January 2026, Yokohama City will launch a port fee reduction program for methanol-fueled vessels and biofuel-using vessels, with the aim of achieving a decarbonized society by 2050.
We will work towards creating a "carbon-neutral port," promote the International Container Strategic Port Policy, and strengthen our capabilities as the largest automobile freight handling port in eastern Japan.
<List of incentive programs to encourage port calls by environmentally friendly vessels>
The new incentive program will apply to two types of vessels: methanol-fueled ships and ships that have refueled with 300 tons or more of biofuel blend oil with a blending ratio of 24% or higher in Yokohama Port.
<Methanol bunkering simulation (September 2024, Yokohama Port, Minami Honmoku Pier)>
Methanol is primarily produced from natural gas, but it can also be produced from hydrogen and carbon dioxide, making it a promising material for realizing a decarbonized society.
Yokohama City is working on implementing methanol bunkering, including conducting simulations with companies such as Maersk, Mitsubishi Gas Chemical, and Idemitsu Kosan, with the aim of using methanol as a fuel for ships.
<Bunkering of a "B24" fuel oil mixed with 24% FAME (Fuel Oil for which FAME is used) at Daikoku Pier, Yokohama Port>
Biofuels are expected to become widespread as the most readily available next-generation fuel because they can be used without changing the specifications of existing diesel engines, and several shipping companies have already started bunkering them in Yokohama Port.
