In the first quarter of 2024, A P Moller - Maersk will introduce the first in a ground-breaking series of eight large ocean-going container vessels capable of being operated on carbon neutral methanol.
The vessels will be built by Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) and have a nominal capacity of approximately 16,000 containers (Twenty-foot Equivalent Unit - TEU).
The agreement with HHI includes an option for four additional vessels in 2025. The series will replace older vessels, generating annual CO2 emissions savings of around one million tonnes. As an industry first, the vessels will offer Maersk customers truly carbon neutral transportation at scale on the high seas.
More than half of Maersk’s 200 largest customers have set – or are in the process of setting – ambitious science-based or zero carbon targets for their supply chains as part of its ongoing collaboration with customers, including Amazon, Disney, H&M Group, HP Inc, Levi Strauss & Co, Microsoft, Novo Nordisk and The Procter and Gamble Company. Many other companies are expected to follow.
The vessels come with a dual fuel engine setup which enables operation on methanol as well as conventional low sulphur fuel.
Soren Skou, CEO at A P Moller – Maersk said, “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.”
The new vessels come as part of Maersk’s ongoing fleet renewal programme and will replace more than 150,000 TEU of the Maersk managed fleet between 2020 and Q1 2024.