Maersk doubles orders for methanol-powered container ships says TradeWinds. The latest 16,000 TEU new building project will cost the company almost teu new buildings that could cost more than $2.2 billion.
The Danish shipping giant made headlines last year by being the first transatlantic company to invest in newbuilds of methanol-powered dual-fuel container ships. It is now said to be considering ordering up to a dozen 16,000 TEU vessels, doubling the order book for neo-panamax vessels, adds TradeWinds.
Alphaliner says that when Maersk ordered its first large methanol-powered containerships last year, the carrier said it placed the orders to help solve the current chicken-or-egg problem with ‘green’ fuels: The carrier admitted it did not It will be easy, and perhaps not possible, to secure sufficient quantities of ‘green’ methanol from sustainable sources to operate the ships completely carbon neutral. However, Maersk placed the orders, in part they also underscore its commitment to the technology and encourage producers to invest in large-scale production of carbon-neutral methanol.
Alphaliner also reports that in March , the Danish shipping company announced a strategic partnership with six leading companies with the intention of obtaining at least 730,000 tons per year by the end of 2025 . Maersk said: “With this production capacity, by the end of 2025 at the latest, Maersk will reach well beyond the green methanol needed for the first twelve green container ships currently on order.” Presumably, CMA CGM will also work on procurement contracts to make ‘green’ methanol available. The carbon-neutral fuel can be obtained from bio-methanol or e-methanol, where the latter is created by electrolysis. This method is only ‘green’ as long as the required electricity comes from renewable sources.
CMA CGM has also ordered 6 container ships that will have a dual-fuel system, supporting the first-mover strategy for greener shipping and a good alternative to LNG.
Sources: TradeWinds & Alphaliner
