A.P. Moller – Maersk has achieved a major milestone in its commitment to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by securing green methanol for the maiden voyage of the world’s first methanol-enabled container vessel.
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Maersk has entered into a partnership with Dutch producer OCI Global to ensure the delivery of green bio-methanol for the vessel’s inaugural journey.
The voyage spans an impressive 21,500 kilometers from Ulsan, South Korea, to Copenhagen, Denmark, covering more than half the globe.
This expedition will provide valuable operational experience for Maersk’s seafarers, as they navigate the new engines and utilize methanol as a fuel source.
It serves as a crucial preparatory step as Maersk gears up to welcome a fleet of new, large ocean-going methanol-enabled ships from 2024.
OCI produces its green methanol at a state-of-the-art facility in the United States, utilizing captured biogas sourced from decomposing organic waste in landfills.
The biogas is converted into biomethane, which is then injected into the gas grid. The methanol is produced from this biomethane on a mass-balance basis.
This innovative approach allows the production of green methanol using existing facilities and infrastructure, enabling rapid scalability.
Moreover, this method plays a vital role in greening the gas grid while simultaneously capturing harmful methane emissions that would have otherwise been released from the waste feedstock.
OCI’s green methanol has obtained certification from the International Sustainability & Carbon Certification (ISCC) in accordance with the EU Renewable Energy Directive.
In line with its ambitious goal of achieving net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2040, A.P. Moller – Maersk aims to ensure that a minimum of 25% of its ocean cargo is transported using green fuels by 2030, based on a 2020 baseline.
The introduction of the landmark methanol-enabled feeder vessel, with a capacity of 2,100 TEU (twenty-foot-equivalent units), represents a significant step towards the long-term objective of transitioning the entire fleet to operate solely on sustainable green fuels. ■