The Danish A.P. Moller & Maersk, the second largest container shipping company in the world, has set a goal to reach zero-emission container shipping by 2040. The Maersk ambitious objective is much advanced compared to the global shipping industry objective to meet net-zero carbon emissions by 2050 to fight against 3% of the global greenhouse emission that they are responsible for.
The program initiated in 2021 aims to renew the fleet of 707 container ships, 304 owned and 403 long-time-chartered, with dual-fuel vessels and propulsion systems. Contracts with different partners and suppliers are in the process of being signed. The giant has chosen to combine methanol and liquified gas bio-LNG for the propulsion systems of its renewed green fleet. The exact split of propulsion technologies will be determined over time considering the latest regulatory requirements and green fuels supply.
New 25 out of planned up to 60 container ships fitted with methanol fuel-dual engines fitted were ordered in 2021 from the Chinees ship builder Yangzijiang Shipbuilding Group and South Korean HD Hyundai Heavy Industries. They are committed to finalize delivery by 2027. Operating with new 25 ships, Maersk expects to reduce CO2 emissions by about 3 million tons per year.
An additional order of 23 new containerships bio-LNG-fueled is confirmed. This order is placed by Canadian shipbuilding and long-time ship chartering company, Seaspan. Ships will be a part of the Maersk’s long-term chartering business unit and will be manufactured by Chinees shipyards Yangzijiang and New Times Shipbuilding.
Maersk’s has also started retrofitting its ships in collaboration with the Chinese shipyard Zhoushan Xinya Shipbuilding Co and MAN Energy Systems. MAN B&W ME-LGIM two-stroke methanol engines are chosen to power the container ships. The first of 11 ships programmed to be retrofitted in the first stage, named Maersk Halifax, has just been delivered and is in operation.
Decarbonization transition of the Maersk’s fleet should be completed by 2040 keeping the total capacity level at 4.3 million TEU.
A.P. Moller and Maersk is the first ocean shipping company operating with dual-fuel propulsion systems and it remains one of the most advanced in the Zero Carbon Shipping transition. But Clarkson’s latest reports show that orders for dual-fuel ships are growing globally.
In the first half of this year the number of orders for ships powered with methanol propulsion systems was 49, and 50 for vessels powered with LNG systems. For the same period as last year, the ordered units were at 42 and 30 respectively.
LNG as an alternative fuel to fossils is gaining its popularity, thanks to the decreasing prices of natural gas and a globally well-established refueling infrastructure. Methanol is currently a more expensive option to LNG but it can be stored and transported in much easier conditions than LNG. No matter what preferences, the maritime industry actors have started the unstoppable decarbonization race aiming to finish by 2050. PSR
Natasa Mulahalilovic is Marine Product Manager-Europe for Power Systems Research
