Shipping giant A.P. Moller-Maersk has hinted at using liquefied natural gas (LNG) to power some of its vessels after years of avoiding the alternative fuel, with the company moving to a multifuel strategy in its fleet renewal plan. The plan is a surprise because the Danish group had forged ahead as proponents of methanol fueling.
The company revealed that its next batch of 50-60 newbuild and chartered dual-fuel vessels would include a mix of methanol and LNG-capable propulsion systems, a change in course from the operator’s heavy investment in methanol as its next-generation sustainable fuel.
However, a spokesperson reiterated it was not Maersk’s intention to run the vessels on LNG, but that it could not rule out the future use of the fuel, with bio-LNG alternatives for which it has already begun the procurement process.
CEO Vincent Clerc added that he expected a mix of fuels to be used in the shipping market for a time before the industry was able to settle on one as the best alternative to conventional marine gas oil, he said: “It would be risky for us as a company to bet only on one technology.”
As the company is in the process of finalising agreements, Maersk said the exact split of propulsion systems used on the new fleet would be determined further down the line, based on future regulatory frameworks and green fuel supplies.
The total capacity of the next batch of vessels will reach 800,000 TEU, with 300,000 TEU of the capacity from owned vessels and the remaining from time-charter agreements.
Maersk has held off from using LNG for years, despite the fuel becoming a favourite for shipping operators to reduce sulphur emissions in compliance with the IMO’s MARPOL convention, due to issues such as the potential for leaks.
Despite the company’s slight change in policy on the fuel, methanol is widely seen as likely to remain central to Maersk’s sustainability strategy, with the operator already using multiple methanol-powered ships in its fleet, including the industry’s first methanol-fuelled container ship, the Laura Maersk.
