Navigating the Green Methanol Waves
Maersk’s venture into sustainable maritime operations breaks new ground as it secures a temporary source of green methanol. The novel and eco-friendly substance will power their pioneering feeder ship, symbolizing the company’s commitment towards net zero operations, thus influencing the entire shipping industry’s modus operandi. Maersk’s leap into the use of dual-fuel methanol container ships hinged on the availability of clean fuels and the required infrastructure, standing as the primary challenge in such a leap.
In a strategic alliance with Equinor, Maersk managed to secure a green methanol production from Equinor’s Tjeldbergodden plant in Norway. With this partnership, Maersk edges closer to its ambitious target of considerably reducing lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions by up to 80-95% in comparison to traditional fossil fuels. This move also resonates with Equinor’s plans to dominate the green marine fuel segment.
Powering the Shipping Revolution
Made revolutionarily unique, Maersk’s first feeder ship with a capacity of 2,100 Twenty-foot Equivalent Units (TEU), is the first-ever containership to harbor engines running on methanol as the primary fuel type. The South Korean-built vessel’s recent 11,000 nautical mile journey to Rotterdam was achieved utilizing green fuel, marking a milestone in container shipping.
Anchoring a Green Future
Post the official naming ceremony, the groundbreaking vessel will service Maersk’s Northern Europe loop sailing into the Baltic Sea. The bio-methanol, derived from biogas-produced manure, will then be refilled at Rotterdam. It is further upgraded to bio-methane before being pumped into the current gas grid, and the methanol is mass-produced from the bio-methane present on this grid. Resultantly, the green methanol finds itself manufactured within existing plants and infrastructures while adhering to the prevalent European biogas certificate system. This rapid market entry strategy is expected to fuel the initial months of the feeder ship’s operation from September 2023 through the first half of 2024.
Safeguarding a Sustainable Ocean Operation
In the long run, the feeder ship will shift to e-methanol for fuel supply facilitated from a new Southern Denmark facility operated by European Energy by mid-2024. Desiring to escalate their ocean operations’ greener fuel use to 25% by 2030, Maersk also intends to generate insights regarding operational processes and crew training from the feeder ship.
Securing green fuel capabilities for all newly-owned vessels aligns with the company’s policy. With 24 such methanol vessels on order for delivery between 2024 and 2027, Maersk is set to underscore its case for zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2040, at an upcoming event next week in Copenhagen. The company’s efforts to nurture the burgeoning global e-methanol supply network are solidified by several partnerships and investments indicating the brighter, greener future ahead.
