The world witnessed a historic moment as Danish shipping giant A.P. Moller Maersk’s pioneering containership, fueled by green methanol, embarked on a remarkable journey that started with its first-ever green bunkering operation in Egypt.
On August 17, the General Authority for the Suez Canal Economic Zone orchestrated a groundbreaking event at the East Port Said port. This marked the inaugural green bunkering operation involving methanol for a containership. The vessel had commenced its maiden voyage in Ulsan, South Korea, and was bound for Copenhagen, Denmark.
The barge Lara S, associated with the global service provider OCI Global through its OCI HyFuels division, played a pivotal role in supplying the vessel. This operation, from start to finish, consumed nearly 6 hours. Specifically, the 2,100 TEU feeder ship received a substantial supply of 500 tons of green methanol at the Suez Canal Container Terminal, a prominent operator at SCZONE’s East Port Said port in Egypt.
The vessel, measuring an impressive 172 meters in length, is equipped with MAN Energy Solutions’ G50 or G95 dual-fuel engine. This innovative engine can operate on either green methanol or conventional fuel.
Egypt celebrated this milestone as the first-ever operation of its kind in the region, encompassing Egypt, Africa, and the Middle East. It aligns with Egypt’s strategic vision to regain prominence in ships’ bunkering services, catering to both fossil and green fuel demands.
The journey of this groundbreaking vessel commenced with its initial fueling at the Port of Ulsan, South Korea, on July 16. Along the way, it made a stop in Singapore on July 27, where it received another supply of green methanol via the MT Agility, a tanker operated by Hong Lam Marine.
A.P. Moller Maersk is at the forefront of sustainable shipping practices, with 25 dual-fuel vessels on order, spanning from 2,000 TEU container capacity to a staggering 16,000 TEU. The company envisions that its entire fleet of green fuel-powered vessels will be fully delivered and operational by 2027.
With an ambitious commitment to achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2040, Maersk has set an interim goal to transport a minimum of 25% of ocean cargo using green fuels by 2030, as compared to a baseline from 2020. This forward-thinking approach marks a significant step towards a more sustainable and environmentally friendly future in the shipping industry.
