Maersk Orders Carbon-neutral Methanol-powered Fleet

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Danish container shipping giant Maersk revealed plans to add to its fleet a total of eight large ocean-going container vessels capable of being operated on carbon-neutral methanol.
As informed, the first newbuild in the series will be completed in the first quarter of 2024, reports World Maritime News.
South Korean shipbuilder Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) has been contracted to build the eight ships which will have a nominal capacity of about 16,000 TEU.
The agreement with HHI includes an option for four additional units in 2025.
The series will replace older vessels, generating annual CO2 emissions savings of around 1 million tonnes and offering “truly carbon neutral” transportation at scale on the high seas.
The vessels come with a dual-fuel engine setup. Additional capital expenditure (CAPEX) for the dual-fuel capability, which enables operation on methanol as well as conventional low sulphur fuel, will be in the range of 10-15% of the total price, enabling Maersk to take a significant leap forward in its commitment to scale carbon-neutral solutions and lead the decarbonisation of container logistics, the company said.
“The time to act is now, if we are to solve shipping’s climate challenge,” Soren Skou, CEO, A.P. Moller – Maersk, pointed out.
“This order proves that carbon-neutral solutions are available today across container vessel segments and that Maersk stands committed to the growing number of our customers who look to decarbonise their supply chains. Further, this is a firm signal to fuel producers that sizable market demand for the green fuels of the future is emerging at speed.”
Maersk – which is a member of the Methanol Institute — explained it will operate the vessels on carbon-neutral e-methanol or sustainable bio-methanol as soon as possible.
Sourcing an adequate amount of carbon-neutral methanol from day one in service is expected to be challenging, as it requires a significant production ramp up of proper carbon neutral methanol production, for which Maersk continues to engage in partnerships and collaborations with relevant players.
“To us, this is the ideal large vessel type to enable sustainable, global trade on the high seas in the coming decades and from our dialogue with potential suppliers, we are confident we will manage to source the carbon neutral methanol needed,” Henriette Hallberg Thygesen, CEO, Fleet & Strategic Brands, A.P. Moller – Maersk, commented.
The vessels will be designed to have a flexible operational profile, enabling them to perform efficiently across many trades. They will feature a methanol propulsion configuration developed in collaboration with makers including MAN ES, Hyundai (Himsen) and Alfa Laval which represents a significant scale-up of the technology from the previous size limit of around 2,000 TEU.
The shipowner also said that the eco-friendly newbuilds will be classed by the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) and sail under the Danish flag, reports World Maritime News.