World’s 1st methanol-powered containership reaches final destination

World's 1st methanol-powered containership reaches final destination - Offshore Energy

World’s 1st methanol-powered containership reaches final destination

The world’s first container vessel powered by green methanol has arrived into the port of Copenhagen after completing a 21,500 km maiden trip from Ulsan, South Korea.

The 2,100 TEU boxship was assisted into the port by Svitzer was assisted into the port as the container ship docked near the headquarters of A.P. Moller – Maersk, where it will be officially named during a ceremony scheduled for tomorrow.

Ursula von der Leyen, the president of the European Commission, will be the godmother of A.P. Moller – Maersk’s new feeder vessel.

The cutting-edge 2,100 TEU container vessel, powered by green methanol, and classed by ABS was built at South Korea’s Hyundai Mipo Dockyard.

MAN Energy Solutions and Hyundai Engine and Machinery, in collaboration with Hyundai Mipo and Maersk, developed the methanol propulsion configuration for the vessel. The main engine was supplied by Hyundai Engine and Machinery, while the auxiliary engine was supplied by Himsen.

The vessel’s use of green methanol represents a groundbreaking approach to reducing the carbon footprint of maritime transportation. The ship’s maiden voyage has been fuelled by green methanol by Dutch OCI Global.

Moving forward, the ship will receive green methanol from Equinor in the port of Rotterdam until European Energy starts producing e-methanol from its new plant, which is set to be commissioned in the second half of 2024.

Both Maersk and its Svitzer arm have identified methanol as marine fuel as the central part of their decarbonization strategies.

“ A.P. Moller – Maersk and Svitzer have both set ambitious targets to lower emissions. Svitzer aims to lower carbon intensity by 50% by 2030 and become carbon neutral by 2040. With a multi-pronged fuel strategy, we now have more than 60 vessels running on low CO2-emission HVO (hydrotreated vegetable oil), and we have made a firm commitment to bring methanol to the marine services industry through building the world’s first methanol fuel cell tug,” Svitzer said.

“Big congratulations to Maersk on reaching this significant milestone in their efforts to respond to climate change. At Svitzer, we look forward to assisting many more vessels running on green methanol into the global ports in the years to come.”

Maersk also confirmed the arrival of the vessel as the company readies for the christening ceremony tomorrow.

“What seemed like a dream two years ago is now a reality. This is proof that we can make this the decade of action,” Maersk said.

The 2,100 TEU container vessel will stay in the Toldboden area of the Copenhagen harbor for about a week and be the focal point of several events and activities related to the shipping industry’s effort to decarbonise.

Maersk disclosed earlier that the feeder will be 172 meters long and will sail in the network of Sealand Europe, a Maersk subsidiary, on the Baltic shipping route between Northern Europe and the Bay of Bothnia.

The maiden voyage has provided a real operational experience for Maersk seafarers handling the new engines and using methanol as fuel, as the company prepares to receive a fleet of new, large ocean-going methanol-enabled ships in 2024.

The feeder will be followed by 24 large ocean-going vessels of 9,000-17,200 TEU capacity which are scheduled for delivery in 2024 and 2027.