Maersk names fifth large methanol dual-fuel boxship in Felixstowe

Danish shipping giant A.P. Moller Maersk has held a naming ceremony for the fifth 16,000 TEU methanol dual-fuel containership in Felixstowe, UK.

Following the tradition of naming Maersk vessels after members of the founding family, the company named the newest vessel Alexandra Maersk. The ship got its name after Alexandra Mærsk-Møller, an older sister of A.P. Moller, the founder of A.P. Moller-Maersk. Elaine Condon, Director of People & Culture at Primark, was the godmother of the ship and the naming ceremony was held at the Port of Felixstowe on October 9, 2024.

The new methanol-enabled ships are at the core of Maersk’s ambitious decarbonization plans as low-emission methanol is said to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 65% to 90% compared to conventional fossil fuels such as bunker oil. This depends on the feedstock and production process of the methanol, calculated on a life cycle basis, according to Maersk.

Meanwhile, Alexandra Maersk is also the sixth vessel in Maersk’s owned fleet being able to sail on methanol in its main and auxiliary engines. 

“It’s a privilege to join the naming ceremony for the ‘Alexandra Maersk’ – one of the first container vessels to run on green methanol. This is exactly the kind of innovation we need to deliver a greener, cleaner maritime sector which is better for people and for our planet. Delivering greener transport is one of our top priorities and we will do so by reducing harmful greenhouse gas emissions and investing in alternative fuels and technologies,” Mike Kane, UK’s Maritime Minister, commented.

“We are committed to reducing the impact we have on the environment across our entire operation, including our supply chain. Through our partnership with Maersk we have started to introduce green fuel alternatives, such as Biofuel, when shipping our products,” Paul Marchant, CEO of Primark, remarked.

“By using Maersk’s ECO Delivery Ocean product and replacing fossil fuels with green fuel alternatives on Maersk’s cargo ships, we are reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in our ocean shipping.  This is a really important step for us at Primark as it supports our ambition to halve our carbon emissions across our value chain by 2030.”

Vincent Clerc, the CEO of A.P. Moller-Maersk, emphasized that true progress in the green transformation requires a collective effort. He stated that to accelerate this transformation, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) needs to help close the price gap between green and fossil fuels, making the green choice more appealing to everyone. Clerc also noted that last week’s IMO meeting was a step in the right direction, but acknowledged that much work remains in the coming months.

Maersk’s first large methanol-powered vessel, Ane Maersk, was named in January 2024, at HD Hyundai Heavy Industries (HD HHI) in Ulsan, South Korea. Astrid Maersk, the second vessel in this series, was inaugurated in Yokohama, Japan, in April this year.

The third large dual-fuel methanol-enabled ship was christened by Danish wind power major Vestas and named Antonia Maersk at a ceremony held in Denmark, while the fourth ship Alette Maersk got its name at a ceremony held in Los Angeles this August.

The Danish shipowner is in the process of signing newbuilding orders and time-charter contracts for dual-fuel vessels to match the planned renewal pace of around 160,000 TEUs per year. The orders will comprise a total of 50-60 containerships combining both owned and chartered dual-fuel vessels equaling 800,000 TEU.