Maersk’s newest dual-fuel methanol vessel gets its name in Singapore

Danish shipping and logistics major Maersk has held a naming ceremony for its newest dual-fuel methanol container vessel in Singapore.

The vessel, named A.P. Møller in honor of Arnold Peter Møller, the founder of A.P. Moller – Maersk, arrived in Singapore on November 28, 2024, as part of its maiden voyage from Asia to Europe.

Built at Hyundai Heavy Industries in Ulsan, South Korea, the vessel can carry 16,592 standard containers (TEU). A.P. Møller is the ninth vessel in Maersk’s fleet capable of operating on methanol.

At the same time, it is part of a series of 18 large dual-fuel methanol vessels scheduled for delivery in 2024 and 2025. Seven of these large dual-fuel methanol vessels were delivered to Maersk in 2024.

Ditlev Blicher, President of Asia Pacific at Maersk, said: “Maersk is proud to introduce our newest dual-fuel methanol vessel in Singapore, home to Maersk Southeast Asia and Asia Pacific, and a key part of our Ocean network and integrated supply chain.

“This launch showcases our dedication to decarbonisation in the region. The energy transition of our industry is a joint-effort, and we are collaborating with authorities across the region, including Singapore, to advance decarbonisation initiatives. This effort is further supported by an increasing number of customers choosing our ECO Delivery solutions. Now, we urge the International Maritime Organisation to adopt regulations that close the price gap between fossil and new fuels, encouraging even more customers to come onboard.”

In July 2023, the inaugural ship-to-containership methanol bunkering for Laura Maersk, the world’s first containership powered by green methanol, was conducted in Singapore with the support of the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA Singapore).

This was also the first ship-to-ship methanol bunkering in the country.

Murali Pillai, Minister of State, Ministry of Law and Ministry of Transport, commented: “Today marks a significant milestone in our journey of decarbonising the maritime industry. The arrival of ‘A.P. Møller’ in Singapore not only showcases the advancements in shipping technology but also reinforces our commitment to support solutions that can reduce greenhouse gas emissions. We are glad to collaborate with Maersk and look forward to furthering our efforts to make Singapore a leading hub for new maritime fuels.”

Maersk points out the delivery of the dual-fuel fleet as a significant component of its decarbonization goal of achieving net-zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2040, explaining that lower-emission methanol can reduce the GHG emissions by at least 65% compared to conventional fossil fuels such as bunker oil (depending on the feedstock and production process of the methanol, calculated on a life cycle basis).

With the vessel technologies available, Maersk says it has been urging the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) member countries to adopt ambitious regulations that bridge the price gap between fossil fuels and the alternatives with lower GHG emissions, making the reduced emissions transport choice viable and competitive.

In one of its recent milestones, the shipping giant completed the conversion of Maersk Halifax, a 14,000 TEU containership, into a methanol dual-fuel vessel. The operation was described as the industry’s first methanol dual-fuel conversion project.

In the meantime, Maersk is forging ahead with its fleet renewal program and 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.