Stockholm (NordSIP) – The shipping industry stands at the nexus of the global economy and is an important element in the fight against climate warming. Although estimates suggest the industry is only responsible for 2% to 3% of global annual emissions, a 2020 Transition Pathways Initiative (TPI) report suggests the majority of International Shipping companies (56.25%) are among the transportation sector’s least engaged players.
Now, A.P. Moller – Maersk, the world’s largest shipping company, announced it will introduce the first in a series of 8 large ocean-going container vessels capable of being operated on carbon-neutral methanol in the first quarter of 2024.
The shipping giant suggests that the purchase of 8 large methanol container vessels is motivated by the decision of its clients (e.g.: Amazon, Disney, H&M Group) to set science-based or net zero-carbon targets for their supply chains, including ocean transport.
Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) will build the vessels, which will have a nominal capacity of approximately 16,000 containers. A.P. Moller – Maersk’s agreement with HHI includes an option for 4 additional vessels in 2025. The new vessels will replace older ships and generate annual emissions savings of around 1 million tonnes of CO2.
“The time to act is now, if we are to solve shipping’s climate challenge. 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,” says Soren Skou
CEO of A.P. Moller – Maersk.
Maersk 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 will 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.
“The vessels will be designed to have a flexible operational profile, enabling them to perform efficiently across many trades, and add flexibility regarding customer needs. 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 vessels will be classed by the American Bureau of Shipping and sail under Danish flags,” the press release says.
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