Maersk launches dual-fuel methanol vessel

Market: Oil products
04/03/25

Danish shipowner Maersk launched its newest dual-fuel methanol container vessel at the Indian port of Mumbai on 28 February.

The vessel Albert Maersk was delivered in January, and has a capacity of 16,592 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEU). It is the 11th of 18 dual fuel methanol vessels that the Danish shipping firm has scheduled for delivery from 2024-25. The main and auxiliary engines of this ship — which was built in Ulsan, South Korea — can run on both methanol and conventional marine fuels. When fully bunkered, the ship can sail up to 41,400km or 23,000 nautical miles on methanol.

"Maersk looks forward to partnering with India on various aspects, such as exploring the potential sourcing of alternative fuels for low-emissions shipping and activities involving ship repairs and shipbuilding," said the firm's chief executive officer Vincent Clerc. "Bio- and e-methanol can reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at least 65pc compared to conventional fossil fuels such as bunker oil," the firm said, depending on the methanol feedstock and its life cycle production process.

This latest dual-fuel methanol newbuild is part of Maersk's fleet renewal plan as the maritime sector pushes for net zero carbon emissions by 2050. The company signed a long-term bio-methanol offtake agreement with Chinese manufacturer LONGi Green Energy Technology in October 2024. Maersk signed another long-term offtake agreement with Chinese producer Goldwind in November 2023 for 500,000 t/yr of a combination of bio-methanol and e-methanol. Delivery of first volumes for both agreements are expected in 2026.

Chinese biomethanol producers are now targeting the marine fuel market, because of increased demand expected in the next decade.

By Cassia Teo

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