World’s first containership methanol dual-fuel retrofit project kicks off

Chinese shipbuilding company Zhoushan Xinya Shipyard has started the retrofitting process of Maersk Halifax, a 14,000 TEU containership owned by Danish shipping giant A.P. Moller–Maersk, to enable the vessel to run on methanol.

In October last year, Maersk and the Chinese shipbuilder signed the world’s first methanol dual-fuel conversion project. German engine manufacturer MAN Energy Solutions (MAN ES) was contracted to retrofit the engine.

On March 8, Zhoushan Xinya Shipyard kicked off the upgrade process with a steel-cutting ceremony for Maersk Halifax.

The containership is scheduled to arrive in early July this year and will undergo conversion and repair for a period of about three months.

“Combined with a series of advanced special cutting machines and welding equipment, the preparation work is done in an orderly manner. Our company has the confidence to accomplish this project with high-quality and make this project the model, providing Xinya mode for the world ship repair, which is our joint efforts and wisdom, and will carry our dreams to the net zero future,” Zhoushan Xinya Shipyard stated.

Maersk is planning to expand the retrofit project on a number of sister vessels when going for a special survey in 2027. The project aligns with the shipowner’s net-zero goal by 2040.

The conversion project is the latest milestone in Maersk’s strategy of adoption of methanol as part of its decarbonization efforts.

In September 2023, Maersk christened its first methanol-powered containership, Laura Maersk. In addition, at the beginning of October 2023, South Korea’s Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) launched the first of twelve Maersk’s 16,200 TEU methanol-powered container ships.

Maersk has ordered a total of 25 methanol-powered container carriers from shipbuilders Hyundai Heavy Industries, Hyundai Mipo Dockyard, and Yangzijiang Shipbuilding Group.

The orders include six vessels with a capacity of 17,000 TEU, twelve 16,000 TEU boxships, and one feeder ship ordered in 2021. Additionally, six mid-sized container vessels are under construction at Yangzijiang Shipbuilding Group in China.

Maersk aims to have its full fleet of methanol-powered vessels operational by 2027.