- Maersk to start carbon neutral vessel operation in 2023, 7 years ahead of target.
- The 2000 teu vessel will run on vlsfo and carbon neutral methanol
- Methanol fuel feeder and dual fuel engine will be installed on the ship
In a major development, A.P. Moller – Maersk has announced that they are speeding up decarbonization with a methanol-fueled feeder vessel on the water in 2023, piloting a scalable carbon neutral product to customers and offering fuel suppliers incentive to scale production of the fuels of the future, says a press release published on their website.
Decarbonizing Ahead of 2030 Goal
Fast-tracked by advances in technology and increasing customer demand for sustainable supply chains, A.P. Moller – Maersk accelerates the efforts to decarbonize marine operations with the launch of the world’s first carbon-neutral liner vessel in 2023 – seven years ahead of the initial 2030-ambition.
All future Maersk-owned new buildings will have dual-fuel technology installed, enabling either carbon-neutral operations or operation on standard very low sulfur fuel oil (VLSFO).
Leading the Way in Decarbonisation
“A.P. Moller – Maersk’s ambition is to lead the way in decarbonising global logistics. Our customers expect us to help them decarbonise their global supply chains, and we are embracing the challenge, working on solving the practical, technical and safety challenges inherent in the carbon neutral fuels we need in the future. Our ambition to have a carbon neutral fleet by 2050 was a moonshot when we announced in 2018. Today we see it as a challenging, yet achievable target to reach,” says Søren Skou, CEO, A.P. Moller – Maersk.
Commitments on decarbonization
- 2023 – World’s first carbon neutral liner in operation
- 2030 – 60% relative CO₂ reduction from shipping
- 2050 -Net zero CO₂ emissions
Around 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, and the figure is on the rise.
How is it done?
- Maersk’s methanol feeder vessel will have a capacity of around 2000 TEU and be deployed in one of its intra-regional networks.
- While the vessel will be able to operate on standard VLSFO, the plan is to operate the vessel on carbon-neutral e-methanol or sustainable bio-methanol from day one.
- Both the methanol-fueled feeder vessel and the decision to install dual-fuel engines on future new buildings are part of Maersk’s ongoing fleet replacement.
- CAPEX implications will be manageable and are included in current guidance.
“It will be a significant challenge to source an adequate supply of carbon neutral methanol within our timeline to pioneer this technology. Our success relies on customers embracing this groundbreaking product and strengthened collaboration with fuel manufacturers, technology partners and developers to ramp up production fast enough. We believe our aspiration to put the world’s first carbon neutral liner vessel in operation by 2023 is the best way to kick start the rapid scaling of carbon neutral fuels we will need,” says Henriette Hallberg Thygesen, CEO of Fleet & Strategic Brands, A.P. Moller – Maersk.
Strengthened collaboration to solve the challenges
A carbon-neutral future for shipping requires innovation, test, and collaboration across multiple industry partners. Maersk continues to explore several carbon-neutral fuel pathways and expects multiple fuel solutions to existing alongside each other in the future. Methanol (e-methanol and bio-methanol), alcohol-lignin blends, and ammonia remain the primary fuel candidates for the future, says Maersk CEO, Søren Skou
A key collaboration partner is the Mærsk Mc-Kinney Møller Center for Zero Carbon Shipping, an independent, non-profit research and development center, that works across sectors, organizations, research areas, and regulators to accelerate the development and implementation of new energy systems and technologies.
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Source: Maersk
