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Maersk to launch a carbon neutral vessel by 2023, seven years ahead of schedule

In 2019, the International Energy Agency reported that international shipping was responsible for approximately 2% of the world’s energy-related CO2 emissions. As the environmental footprint of the shipping industry is huge, Maersk, the world’s largest container shipping company has plans to reduce its environmental footprint and achieve net-zero carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions by 2050. In line with its plan, it announced that it would be launching a carbon-neutral vessel by 2023, which is seven years ahead of schedule.

Maersk’s carbon-neutral vessel will be powered by either carbon neutral e-methanol or sustainable bio-methanol and also have the option to be powered by standard very low sulphur fuel oil (VLSFO) whenever required. Maersk’s new fleet of vessels will be installed with dual fuel engines which allow it to run on carbon neutral fuels.

Maersk’s head of decarbonization, Morten Bo Christiansen remarked that the development and acceleration of the methanol-fuelled vessel has been going in the right direction as Maersk’s customers expect its support in decarbonizing their supply chains. He also highlighted that there was a challenge in sourcing these fuels and to overcome this they were in talks with several potential partners so they could start producing these fuels and put them in the market to scale.

Christiansen remarked that this initiative would also mean that extra cost might be involved. While Maersk was not yet certain about the changes in price points, changes would likely be in cents rather than dollars. There is a possibility that these costs may actually be absorbed, and hopefully accelerate the decarbonization of Maersk’s customers’ supply chains.