Danish shipping giant AP Moller-Maersk has inked supply deals with six companies to boost the global production capacity of green methanol.
The strategic partnerships will enable Maersk to source 730,000 tonnes of green methanol per year by end of 2025, the company said.
That reaches “well beyond” the quantity of green methanol needed to fuel the 12 neo-panamax container ships that the company has ordered, the liner operator said.
Maersk has orders for a dozen 16,000-teu, dual-fuelled vessels that can run on methanol and conventional fuels for delivery in 2024 and 2025. The company also has a methanol-fuelled 2,200-teu boxship on order for delivery next year.
“To transition towards decarbonisation, we need a significant and timely acceleration in the production of green fuels,” said Henriette Hallberg Thygesen, Maersk’s chief executive of fleet and strategic brands.
“Green methanol is the only market-ready and scalable available solution today for shipping. Production must be increased through collaboration across the ecosystem and around the world. That is why these partnerships mark an important milestone to get the transition to green energy underway.”
Global reach
The six companies include China’s CIMC ENRIC and Green Technology Bank.
The other four companies are Danish renewable energy firms European Energy and Orsted, US-based WasteFuel, and Swiss-headquartered Proman.
CIMC ENRIC, the energy subsidiary of Chinese conglomerate CIMC, will develop up to 200,000 tonnes per year of bio-methanol projects for Maersk.
Green Technology Bank (GTB), a bio-methanol producer established by the Chinese government, plans to contribute 50,000 tonnes in 2024 up to a capacity of 300,000 tonnes per year.
Global renewable firm Orsted of Denmark will develop an e-methanol project in the US with a capacity of 300,000 tonnes per year from 2025.
California-based WasteFuel is developing a bio-methanol project in South America that will produce over 30,000 tonnes a year by 2024.
TradeWinds reported yesterday that Proman will supply Maersk with up to 150,000 tonnes a year of green methanol from its facility in North America.
That will be augmented by European Energy, a Danish global renewable energy firm that will produce e-methanol for Maersk’s first green feeder vessel which is scheduled to be delivered in 2023.
European Energy will also develop e-methanol projects in Latin America and the US with a capacity of up to 300,000 tonnes annually by 2026.(Copyright)
