The use of green methanol, a carbon-neutral fuel obtained from renewable sources (biomass and solar energy, for example), will allow Maersk's new eight mega-containers (AP Moller-Maersk) to emit around one million tonnes a less than CO2 per year. In 2020, Maersk emitted 33 million tons of CO2.
The new vessels, which are being built in South Korea, by Hyundai Heavy Industries — Hyundai doesn't just make cars —, if everything goes as planned, will be delivered in early 2024 and will have a nominal capacity of around 16 thousand containers (TEU) each one.
The eight new container ships are part of Maersk's fleet renewal plan and its plan to achieve carbon neutrality in 2050 for the world's largest maritime carrier, with the agreement signed with Hyundai Heavy Industries to still have the option for four additional ships to be built by 2025.
In addition to its internal goal of being carbon neutral by 2050, Maersk is also responding to its customers' demands. More than half of Maersk's top 200 customers, where we find names like Amazon, Disney or Microsoft, are also imposing emission reduction targets on their supply chains.
The biggest challenge is not the engines.
The diesel engines that will equip these vessels will be able to run not only on green methanol, but also on heavy fuel oil, the traditional fuel in these container ships, although now with a low sulfur content (to control emissions of the very harmful sulfur oxides or SOx ).Having the possibility to work with two different fuels was a necessity to keep the vessels operational, regardless of the region of the planet where they operate or the availability of green methanol, which is still scarce in the market - the availability of renewable and synthetic fuels also afflicts the industry car.
This is the biggest challenge, says Maersk: to find, from day one, the supply of the necessary quantities of green methanol to supply its container ships, as despite being "only" eight (very large) ships, they will oblige greatly increase the production of this carbon neutral fuel. For this purpose, Maersk has established and sought to establish partnerships and collaborations with actors in this area.
The ability of these engines to run on two different fuels will make the price of each vessel 10% to 15% higher than usual, standing at around 148 million euros each.
Still on green methanol, it can be of synthetic origin (e-methanol) or can be produced sustainably (bio-methanol), directly from biomass or through the use of renewable hydrogen, combined with carbon dioxide from biomass or capture of carbon dioxide.
Good news for the auto industry?
No doubt. The entry of the “sea giants” into synthetic or renewable fuels will be critical to providing the scale that this much-needed alternative to fossil fuels lacks, which could have a positive impact on reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
Internal combustion engines may be “doomed” in the long term, but that does not mean that they cannot even contribute positively to reducing emissions.
Source: Reuters.