World’s First Container Cargo Ship Using Methanol Propulsion
A.P. Møller – Mærsk introduced the world’s first container cargo ship using methanol propulsion in Copenhagen in September 2023. The container ship was constructed in South Korea. It has 172 meters in length and the capacity to transport 2,100 TEU (twenty-foot equivalent units), a standard measure for shipping containers.
The ship features dual propulsion. Namely, the company intends to use green methanol, but there is also the option to use conventional fuel when necessary. With its methanol tanks filled, the ship can travel approximately 11,000 kilometers. For the initial period, Maersk procured biomethanol that was produced from methane captured at landfills. It counts as low-carbon fuel. Maersk also reached an agreement with European Energy for an annual supply of up to 300,000 tons of e-methanol starting in 2025/26. It is produced from low-carbon hydrogen obtained through electrolysis and carbon from carbon dioxide that was emitted in industrial production processes and captured.
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