Sanlorenzo Announces LIFE MYSTIC Project To Build First Bi-Fuel Methanol Superyacht By 2027

Press Release, 18 October 2024 – Sanlorenzo has announced the groundbreaking LIFE MYSTIC project, a collaboration with Nanni Industries and Ranieri Tonissi, to create the world’s first green methanol bi-fuel superyacht by 2027. Co-funded by the EU, the project involves a total investment of over €4.8 million and will run for 54 months.

The project, called LIFE MYSTIC (Methanol for Yachting Sustainable Energy Transition Applied to Internal Combustion Engines), was presented at Sanlorenzo‘s headquarters in La Spezia. The event, titled “The First Bi-Fuel Methanol Superyacht and the Management of Alternative Fuels in Italian Marinas,” brought together industry experts, port authorities, and Assomarinas (the Italian Association of Marinas) to discuss the challenges and future of alternative fuel adoption in marinas.

Project Overview

Duration: 54 months (starting June 2024)
Investment: Over €4.8 million, 60% funded by the EU’s LIFE programme
Objective: Develop superyacht engines and generators that run on a combination of diesel and methanol, with significant reductions in environmental impact

• Greenhouse gas emissions: Reduced by 150 tons/year of CO2
• Fossil energy consumption: Reduced by 700 MWh/year
• Air quality contamination: Reduced by 630 kg/year

The project will see two high-speed 4-stroke MAN diesel engines and two 4-stroke diesel generators adapted to operate on bi-fuel green methanol and diesel. These adaptations, designed in collaboration with Ranieri Tonissi and Nanni Industries, ensure that the superyacht can switch safely between fuels as needed.

Key Innovations:

• Bi-Fuel Technology: A custom-designed system will allow the engines to efficiently burn both methanol and diesel, offering a solution for the transition to cleaner fuels.
• Methanol Tanks & Fuel Management: Sanlorenzo will convert traditional fuel tanks to accommodate methanol and redesign the distribution system to meet safety standards, overcoming the challenge of integrating methanol tanks into a yacht’s relatively small space.
• Methanol’s Promise: Methanol is seen as one of the most promising fuels for the future of maritime transport, particularly when produced from renewable sources, making it a zero-emission fuel. A major hurdle remains the availability of green methanol, which is essential for the project’s success. Collaboration with regulatory bodies and the supply chain is crucial to update fuel regulations, particularly in Italy, where methanol is not yet recognized as a fuel.

LIFE MYSTIC is part of Sanlorenzo‘s “Road to 2030” plan, positioning the company at the forefront of sustainability in the yachting sector. It follows the launch of the 50Steel, the world’s first superyacht using the Reformer Fuel Cell green methanol system for power generation. Sanlorenzo aims to launch the first carbon-neutral superyacht by 2030, marking a bold step towards a more sustainable future for the marine industry.

Explore the future of yachting with Sanlorenzo, where innovation meets timeless elegance at [email protected].