Maersk orders 20 LNG dual fueled containerships

Photo: Maersk

While Maersk may have started the momentum towards green methanol as a marine fuel, its concluding batch of orders placed under its fleet renewal plan announced in August cover 20 LNG dual fueled containerships with a total capacity of 300,000 TEU. This is in line with the trend noted in DNV’s latest Alternative Fuels Insight (AFI) update (see earlier story) in which LNG fueled containerships dominated the picture.

Maersk’s latest clutch of orders consists of:

• Two 9,000 TEU vessels ordered at Yangzijiang Shipbuilding, China
• Twelve 15,000 TEU vessels (six at Hanwha Ocean, South Korea and six at New Times Shipbuilding, China)
• Six 17,000 TEU vessels at Yangzijiang Shipbuilding, China

“We are pleased to have signed agreements for 20 vessels and thereby completed the acquisition of 300,000 TEU capacity as announced in August,” Anda Cristescu, head of chartering & newbuilding at Maersk. These orders are a part of our ongoing fleet renewal program and in line with our commitment to decarbonization, as all the vessels will have dual-fuel engines with the intent to operate them on lower emissions fuel.”

“Due to their different sizes, the vessels will be able to fill many roles and functions within our future network and give us a lot of deployment flexibility when they are ready to enter our fleet,” noted Cristescu. “Once phased in, they will replace existing capacity in our fleet.”

The first vessels will be delivered in 2028, and the last delivery will take place in 2030.

In its August fleet update, Maersk also announced its intention to charter a range of methanol and liquified gas dual-fuel vessels totaling 500,000 TEU capacity. It says that it has now finalized these charter contracts across several tonnage providers. When phased in, the chartered vessels will replace existing capacity.