Hapag-Lloyd kicks off fleet upgrade program
Written by Nick Blenkey
Propeller retrofits and bulbous bow optimizations figure in CO2-saving Hapag-Lloyd fleet upgrade program
Hapag-Lloyd has marked the start of a 150-ship fleet upgrade program by loading a massive retrofit propeller onto one of its vessels in Hamburg for shipment to Dubai, where it will be installed on the 7,500 TEU containership Ningbo Express next month.
Optimized for energy efficiency by German manufacturer MMG, the five-bladed propeller has a diameter of 9,300 mm and weighs 62 tonnes. It will provide a fuel and CO2 savings of 10%-13%, depending on the draft and speed of the vessel.
Hapag-Lloyd plans to equip at least 86 ships with the new and more efficient propellers. At the same time, 36 vessels will receive a new, flow-optimized bulbous bow. During scheduled dry dock stays, a resistance-reducing coat of anti-fouling paint will also to be applied to all vessels on the exterior hull beneath the waterline.
Most of the measures will be carried out by 2025 and will make a significant contribution to helping the company to achieve its climate targets.
“We aim to be climate-neutral by 2045. To reach this goal, we have set ourselves the interim target of reducing the CO2 intensity of our own ships by 30 per cent already by 2030,” says Dr. Maximilian Rothkopf, COO of Hapag-Lloyd AG. “To do so, we are investing in new future-proof ships while simultaneously focusing on making our existing fleet fit for the future. The fleet upgrade program will boost the energy efficiency of the entire fleet.”
Hapag-Lloyd says the investment volume of the fleet upgrade program will be “in the three-digit million range,” which at today’s exchange rate is exactly the same whether you’re talking dollars or euros.
