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“Ane Maersk” in the port of Hamburg: shipping traffic between Asia and Europe
Photo: Axel Heimken / dpa
If the shipping company Maersk has its way, this sight will soon become a habit: the methanol-powered container ship “Ane Maersk” has docked in Hamburg for the first time. In the early hours of the morning, the light blue, 350 meter long ship entered the port of Hamburg. It is the Danish shipping company's first large, methanol-capable container ship and holds more than 16,000 standard containers (TEU) - and is only intended to be the start of lower-emission shipping.
In the next two years, Maersk plans to put 17 more container ships of this size into operation that will run on so-called green methanol. Green methanol is almost CO₂-neutral and is considered a promising fuel to replace fossil fuels such as ship diesel or heavy oil.
However, the production of green methanol requires a lot of electricity from renewable sources, which is why fuel is still in short supply. In September 2023, the company named the smaller “Laura Maersk,” which, according to the shipping company, was the world’s first methanol-capable container ship.
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Urslua von der Leyen at the naming ceremony of the »Laura Maersk«
Photo: Sergei Gapon / AFP
The big sister “Ane Maersk” was the first of the larger series of ships to set off on the journey at the beginning of February. It was built by Hyundai Heavy Industries in South Korea. In the future, “Ane” will operate between Asia and Europe. The route, which starts in Ningbo in China and passes through the Suez Canal, connects Asian and European ports, including the largest German seaport in Hamburg.
The ships in the new series stand out because the bridge is placed right at the front. According to Maersk, this should ensure higher loading capacity and thus more fuel-efficient operation. According to the shipping company, by using methanol as fuel, the “Ane Maersk” is expected to save up to 280 tons of CO₂ every day – compared to a ship of the same size that runs on a fossil fuel.
Maersk currently uses biomethanol for its ships. The goal, however, is to switch to e-methanol, which is produced synthetically with CO₂ and green hydrogen. According to a spokesman, up to 95 percent of emissions could be saved in the long term with e-methanol - including emissions from the production and transport of the fuel.
Maersk is aiming for “net zero” greenhouse gas emissions by 2040. The Danish group is the world's second largest container shipping company after MSC.
eru/dpa/AFX