ZEMBA concludes inaugural tender with Hapag-Lloyd
The Zero Emission Maritime Buyers Alliance (ZEMBA) has delivered 82,000 mtCO2-equivalent (mtCO2e) in emissions reductions in 2025 and 2026 under its first low-emission shipping tender with Hapag-Lloyd, which concluded this month.
IMAGE: Gasum bunker barge supplying LBM to Hapag-Lloyd container ship in Wilhelmshaven. Hapag-Lloyd
The reductions were achieved through the use of liquefied biomethane (LBM) across eight international shipping voyages under 17 contracts between Hapag-Lloyd and ZEMBA members.
The German container liner secured ZEMBA's inaugural tender to replace conventional bunker fuels with lower-emission alternatives.
Under the arrangement, Hapag-Lloyd used waste-based LBM on some of the dual-fuel vessels in its LNG-capable fleet to reduce well-to-wake greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.
It then allocated environmental attribute certificates representing the emissions reductions achieved during these voyages to ZEMBA members through a book-and-claim mechanism.
The mechanism allowed cargo owners to claim emissions reductions by paying a premium for lower-emission shipping services, even if their cargo was transported on vessels running on conventional marine fuels.
ZEMBA members include major cargo owners such as Amazon, Nike, IKEA and Patagonia.
Second tender moves to e-fuels
ZEMBA has awarded its second tender to Hapag-Lloyd and Norwegian shipping company North Sea Container Line (NCL), with fuel deliveries scheduled to begin in 2027.
Hapag-Lloyd will use e-methanol on a trans-oceanic trade route, while NCL will deploy green ammonia on a northern European route.
Both fuels will be produced using green hydrogen generated with renewable energy and are expected to deliver lifecycle emissions reductions of at least 90% compared with conventional marine fuels.
ZEMBA expects the two companies to collectively deliver around 120,000 mtCO2e in emissions reductions over three years from 2027. Its members will again pay a premium for the associated reductions through a book-and-claim mechanism.
By Konica Bhatt
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