Maersk has stretched its methanol-capable order book to 25 vessels, saying Monday it has placed a new order for six dual-fuel 9,000-TEU ships that will join its fleet in 2026 and 2027. 

The smaller vessels will replace ships in a similar-size segment and are expected to reduce Maersk’s annual greenhouse gas emissions by about 450,000 tons of CO2 per year on a fuel lifecycle basis when operating on green methanol, the carrier said in a statement. 

Maersk last year ordered 19 dual-fuel methanol-capable megaships of 17,000-TEU capacity that will be delivered from 2024, but this time the carrier opted for the smaller vessels that would be more flexible in deployment across trade lanes. 

“This will allow these vessels to fill many functions in both our current and our future network, thereby offering the flexibility our customers demand,” said Rabab Boulos, Maersk’s chief infrastructure officer. 

In charting a course to decarbonization, Maersk has identified three primary candidates to replace traditional fossil fuels: methanol, both e-methanol and bio-methanol; alcohol-lignin blends and ammonia. Methanol is currently taking the inside track; along with extending its order book in that direction, the carrier earlier this month launched the first-ever methanol-powered container ship that will arrive in Copenhagen later in the summer. The 2,100-TEU vessel is currently undergoing sea trials off South Korea. 

Locking in fuel supply 

Maersk in January brought forward, from 2050 to 2040, plans to offer net-zero supply chains across its business units, which includes a 50% cut in emissions per transported container in the Maersk fleet compared with 2020.     

But to meet its interim 2030 fleet emissions target, Maersk will need about 6 million tons of green methanol per year and will require even larger amounts by 2040 if the net-zero goal is to be reached. To lock in supply of these fuels, Maersk has made agreements with a range of producers.  

Several other carriers have also placed orders for alternative fuel ships. CMA CGM in April ordered 12 15,000-TEU ships capable of running on methanol fuel as well as traditional bunkers and four 23,000-TEU dual-fuel liquefied natural gas (LNG) ships. 

HMM in February ordered nine dual-fuel methanol ships and secured supply of the fuel. That same month, Hapag-Lloyd signed a multi-year agreement with Shell for the supply of LNG to power the dozen 23,500-TEU capacity ships the carrier has on order that will be deployed on the Asia-Europe trade starting from the second half of 2023. 

Source from JOC.com/Greg Knowler