World’s 1st methanol-powered boxship readies for September christening in Copenhagen

Danish container shipping major Maersk is set to commemorate a significant milestone in the maritime industry as it prepares to host a series of events celebrating the first-ever voyage of a container vessel powered by green methanol.

The festivities, which will take place from September 18 to 21 in Copenhagen, Denmark, will include a highly anticipated name-giving ceremony for the 2,100 TEU feeder vessel powered by methanol.

As reported earlier, the 172-meter-long feeder was launched on April 4 at South Korea’s Hyundai Mipo Dockyard. The vessel will now undergo final touches before being delivered this summer. The feeder she will sail at a designed speed of 17,4 knots.

Both of the vessel’s main and auxiliary engines can operate on green methanol, and the ship s the company’s first carbon-neutral vessel.

The world’s first container vessel sailing on green methanol will pause in Copenhagen right outside the Maersk headquarters on its way to the Baltic Sea, where she will be operating going forward.

The feeder vessel will bring real experience for Maersk seafarers in operating the new type of fuel, as the company prepares to receive a fleet of new, large ocean-going methanol-powered ships from 2024.

The feeder will be followed by 18 large ocean-going vessels of 16,000-17,200 TEU capacity which are scheduled for delivery in 2024 and 2025.

Maersk aims to achieve net zero greenhouse gas emissions in 2040 across the entire business. To get there in time, the company aims to transport a minimum 25% of Ocean cargo using green fuels by 2030 compared to a 2020 baseline.

“Receiving the landmark dual-fuel engine feeder vessel is a major step toward the long-term objective of gradually renewing the entire A.P. Moller – Maersk fleet to operate solely on green fuels and making a tangible impact in the industry’s efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions,” the company said.