As part of its strategy to reduce its carbon footprint, the global provider of integrated logistics solutions, A.P. Moller – Maersk (Maersk) announced on Wednesday it ordered six additional large ocean-going container vessels that can sail on green methanol, as part of its ongoing fleet renewal programme.
The vessels will be built by Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) to replace an equal capacity reaching end-of-life and leaving the Maersk-managed fleet, with a nominal capacity of nearly 17,000 Twenty-Foot-Equivalent-Units (TEUs).
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Maersk’s sustainability strategy
The latest order brings Maresk’s order tally up to 19 vessels with dual-fuel engines able to operate on green methanol.
Moreover, the order aligns with the company-wide net-zero emissions target for 2040, aimed at reducing halving emissions per transported container in the Maersk Ocean fleet compared to 2020.
The company’s sustainability strategy also mandates all ordered newbuilt vessels to operate on green fuels.
“Our customers are looking to us to decarbonise their supply chains, and these six vessels able to operate on green methanol will further accelerate the efforts to offer our customers climate-neutral transport,” Maersk’s CEO – Fleet & Strategic Brands, Henriette Hallberg Thygesen said, stressing the need for global action to meet the Paris Agreement’s goal of limiting global warming to a 1.5°C temperature rise.
Carbon savings
The six 17,000 TEU vessels set to be delivered in 2025 will sail under the Danish flag and are expected to save nearly 800,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions every year. Once deployed, the 19 vessels on order will save 2.3 million tonnes of CO2 emissions annually.
On his part, Maersk’s Chief Fleet & Technical Officer, Palle Laursen said that Green methanol is the best scalable green fuel solution for this decade, adding the company is excited to see other shipowners follow the same path, to add further momentum to the rapid scaling of availability needed to bring down the premium on green methanol and accelerate the evolution of climate-neutral shipping.
The company affirmed it will uphold its strategy to maintain a maximum fleet capacity of 4.3 million TEUs, with a combination of managed and time-chartered vessels.
