Recently, Maersk's world's first large methanol-powered container ship, "Ane Maersk", docked at the Mediterranean Port Complex in Tangier, Morocco for the first time.
The "Ane Maersk" has a total length of 350 meters, a width of 53.3 meters, a depth of 33.2 meters, and a single shell stack with a height of 21 floors, which is equivalent to the height of a 20-story building, and a maximum container capacity of 16,592 TEU. The ship departed from the port of Zhoushan in Ningbo in February this year to start its maiden voyage on the Asia-Europe route, and is currently sailing from the port of Colombo to Felixstowe, Hamburg, Antwerp, London, Le Havre and then back to Asia.
During the voyage, the vessel will run on green methanol fuel, which is also the first time that a methanol-powered container ship will operate on a global trunk route.
Maersk said the Ane Maersk, which entered the AE7 route connecting Asia and Europe in February, is leading the methanol-powered series of large container ships, and the company will continue to work to find fuel and bunkering solutions for its methanol fleet. ”
The Ane Maersk is the first of a total of 18 large methanol-powered vessels ordered by Maersk at HD Hyundai in South Korea, built by Hyundai Heavy Industries Ulsan Shipyard. The ship is also the world's second methanol-powered container ship after the Laura Maersk delivered by Hyundai Miura Shipbuilding last year.
This series of large methanol-powered vessels features an innovative design that is the first of its kind in the industry, placing the bridge and accommodation at the front of the vessel, ensuring fuel efficiency. The vessel is equipped with dual-fuel engines supplied by MAN Energy Soltuions and can run on both methanol and conventional marine fuels, as well as methanol dual-fuel for auxiliary engines.
In early February, the Ane Maersk completed its first ship-to-ship (STS) green methanol bunkering at the port of Ulsan, South Korea, which was supplied by the bunkering vessel Golden Sunny Hana, operated by South Korean shipping company Hana Marine. On 13 February, the vessel made its maiden voyage to YANTIAN International, where it provided electricity through on-shore power supply facilities to meet the ship's heating, communication, lighting and other power needs, achieving zero emissions, zero pollution and zero noise.
It is understood that Maersk has set a 2040 net-zero greenhouse gas emission target for all businesses, and has set a realistic and ambitious short-term target by 2030 to ensure significant progress in decarbonization. Maersk is currently moving forward with its fleet renewal programme and has committed to building only its own vessels that can sail on green fuels in principle.
Since 2021, Maersk has ordered a total of 25 methanol dual-fuel container ships in Chinese and South Korean shipyards, including the 2,100TEU container ship "Laura Maersk" delivered by Hyundai Mipo Shipbuilding last year, 12 16,000TEU and 6 17,000TEU ultra-large ships delivered by Hyundai Heavy Industries this year and next, in addition to six 9,000TEU methanol dual-fuel ships of Yangzijiang Shipbuilding, which are scheduled to be delivered from 2026 to 2027.
Maersk said that by the end of 2030, when all new ships are fully delivered, the new fleet, which runs on green methanol fuel, is expected to cut 2.75 million tonnes of CO2 emissions per year.