Shipping methanol for a methanol to olefin unit in non-methanol carriers

A tanker adapted to carry methanol-to-olefin grade methanol, the tanker comprising:

• (a) a hold for storing the methanol-to-olefin grade methanol;
• (b) a fire suppression system comprising a storage tank for storing an alcohol resistant fire suppressing agent, and a conduit system for delivering the alcohol resistant fire suppressing agent to the hold;
• and
• (c) a blanketing system which can deliver a blanketing medium into the hold, wherein the blanketing medium is selected from the group consisting of:
• exhaust from a diesel engine, exhaust from a kerosene engine, exhaust from a gasoline engine, exhaust from a methanol burning engine, exhaust from a gas oil engine, flue gas from a diesel burner, flue gas from a kerosene burner, flue gas from a gasoline burner, flue gas from a methanol burner, and flue gas from a gas oil burner.

A methanol blanketing system, comprising:

• (a) a blanketing medium generator in a tanker for generating a blanketing medium selected from the group consisting of:
• exhaust from a diesel engine, exhaust from a kerosene engine, exhaust from a gasoline engine, exhaust from a methanol burning engine, exhaust from a gas oil engine, flue gas from a diesel burner, flue gas from a kerosene burner, flue gas from a gasoline burner, flue gas from a methanol burner, and flue gas from a gas oil burner;
• and
• (b) a conduit system in communication with the blanketing medium generator and one or more holds, wherein the blanketing medium is directed through the conduit system to the one or more holds, the holds being at least partially filled with a fluid cargo comprising methanol.

A process for unloading methanol from a tanker, the process comprising the steps of:

• (a) withdrawing methanol from a hold;
• and
• (b) replacing the volume of withdrawn methanol with a blanketing medium, wherein the blanketing medium is selected from the group consisting of:
• exhaust from a diesel engine, exhaust from a kerosene engine, exhaust from a gasoline engine, exhaust from a methanol burning engine, exhaust from a gas oil engine, flue gas from a diesel burner, flue gas from a kerosene burner, flue gas from a gasoline burner, flue gas from a methanol burner, and flue gas from a gas oil burner.