Maersk aims to deploy 19 methanol vessels this year
Danish shipping major A.P. Moller-Maersk expects to deploy at least 19 new methanol dual-fuel vessels by the end of 2025, according to Leonardo Sonzio, head of fleet management and technology at Maersk.
PHOTO: Methanol bunkering of a Maersk vessel in East Port Said. SCZONE
The company also anticipates receiving its first e-methanol shipment from European Energy’s Kassø facility in Denmark this year, Sonzio noted in the company’s 2025 vision statement.
The Kassø plant has a production capacity of 32,000 mt/year of e-methanol. Maersk has committed to offtake at least 10,000 mt/year from this capacity to fuel some of its methanol-capable vessels.
Last year, Maersk ordered 20 LNG-capable dual-fuel vessels from Chinese and Korean shipyards. These vessels are scheduled for delivery between 2028 and 2030.
Sonzio said that the company retains the option to switch the specifications of these newbuilds to methanol dual-fuel in 2025, but the decision depends on the “clarity of fuel providers and the regulatory environment.”
He urged IMO member states to introduce “regulations to close the price gap between fossil fuels and fuels that create real emission reductions based on robust lifecycle assessments” this year.
Sonzio also suggested that ammonia could play a role in Maersk’s future fuel mix.
By Konica Bhatt
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