Shipping giants Maersk and CMA CGM join hands to work on greener fuels for ships

Danish shipping giant A.P. Moller Maersk and French major CMA CGM have decided to join forces on several areas relating to decarbonization, including the development of greener fuels for ships.

Specifically, both shipping lines will work more together to develop the use of alternative greener fuels for container vessel propulsion, namely:

• Developing high standards for alternative sustainable, green fuels – including the analysis of full lifecycle and related greenhouse gasses – and helping to setting the framework of mass production of green methane and green methanol.
• Developing and maintaining standards for operation of green methanol vessels with regards to safety and bunkering, as well as accelerating port readiness for bunkering and supply of bio/e-methanol at key ports around the world.
• Continuing to explore jointly R&D on other components of the net zero solution as new alternative fuels, like ammonia, or innovation technology for the companies’ ships.

Moreover, Maersk and CMA-CGM both agree to the fundamental role of regulation in securing the decarbonization of the sector. Both companies warmly welcome the outcome of the recent Marine Environment Protection Committee of the International Maritime Organization during which the IMO’s 2023 strategy for reducing GHG Emissions from Ships was adopted, with reinforced targets to tackle harmful emissions.

Additionally, the shipowners  affirm their readiness to collaboratively engage with regulatory stakeholders in establishing a robust and sustainable international regulatory GHG framework and invite other international shipping lines who so wish to join them in this cooperation with the regulatory institutions.

Such a framework is in both companies’ perspective a prerequisite to reducing carbon emissions for the shipping industry and securing a level-playing field for a global business environment.

“This partnership is a milestone for the decarbonization of our industry. By combining the know-how and the expertise of two shipping leaders, we will accelerate the development of new solutions and technologies, enabling our industry to reach its CO2 reduction targets. We are looking forward to being joined by other companies,” said Rodolphe Saadé, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the CMA CGM Group.

“A.P. Moller – Maersk wants to accelerate the green transition in shipping and logistics and to do so, we need strong involvement from partners across the industry. We are pleased to have an ally in CMA CGM and it’s a testament that when we united through determined efforts and partnerships, a tangible and optimistic path toward a sustainable future emerges,” stated Vincent Clerc, Chief Executive Officer at A.P. Moller – Maersk.

As frontrunners of the energy transition in shipping, both companies are convinced that joint action will help accelerating the green transition in shipping, learning from each other to go further and faster.

CMA CGM and Maersk have set a net-zero target for their shipping business, have identified scalable solutions that can create impact in this decade, and have already individually taken ambitious paths on promoting decarbonization for shipping.

Maersk has been ordering vessels that can be operated on bio/e-methanol. Recently, the company held a naming ceremony for world’s first green methanol-powered boxship, Laura Maersk.

CMA CGM has been ordering LNG-propelled vessels, that can also be operated on bio/e-methane, the new green equivalent of current LNG, and has also placed orders for vessels that can be operated on bio/e-methanol.