Norden joins Maersk Mc-Kinney Moller Center to accelerate shipping’s transition

Danish shipping company Dampskibsselskabet Norden A/S has signed a partnership agreement with the Maersk Mc-Kinney Moller Center for Zero Carbon Shipping. 

Based in Copenhagen, the Maersk Mc-Kinney Moller Center is an independent, not-for-profit, research and development centre launched with support of the A.P. Moller Foundation, with a mission to decarbonise the maritime industry.

The centre works across the shipping industry, collaborating with companies, academia and authorities.

“We are deeply committed to our decarbonisation agenda at Norden and to our target of being carbon-neutral by 2050,” Jan Rindbo, CEO of Norden, pointed out.

“We fully recognise that we must work together as an industry to tackle the climate challenge. That’s why we are proud to partner with the Maersk Mc-Kinney Moller Center for Zero Carbon Shipping today… By working together, we believe we can accelerate the transition to a greener future for shipping.”

As a strategic partner, Norden will contribute directly to the work of the centre on projects related to the development and implementation of future fuels and zero-carbon technologies. 

Specifically, Norden will provide “sailing laboratories” – using its owned fleet to carry out tests of new fuels or alternative wind propulsion systems. Employees from Norden’s decarbonisation team, as well as technical and commercial colleagues, will provide their expertise on various projects. 

“Transitioning to zero carbon shipping is not about finding one silver bullet applicable across segments. A valid transition narrative builds on a holistic supply chain perspective combined with in depth understanding of the technology and fuels, but also the complexity of individual segments, business models and ship owning structures,” Bo Cerup-Simonsen, CEO of Maersk Mc-Kinney Moller Center for Zero Carbon Shipping, commented, welcoming Norden on board the center.

Norden has made decarbonisation a key focus area and continuously seeks to reduce emissions by improving the energy efficiency of its vessels. It has also been at the forefront of testing alternative low-carbon fuel solutions such as biofuel. 

Back in September 2018, Norden became the first ever to conduct a test voyage on a large ocean-going vessel powered by CO2 neutral. Over the past few years, the company has been conducting research into alternative green transport options. In December 2020, Norden announced its third test voyage using biofuel made from waste vegetable oil.