Maersk chooses Alfa Laval FSS for first containership methanol retrofit

Ole Graa Jakobsen, head of fleet technology, A.P. Moller-Maersk: “Retrofitting solutions to accommodate new fuel is a complex task that requires expertise, and we are happy to have Alfa Laval on board on this project.”

Maersk’s commitment to green methanol is not limited to its newbuild program. Next year it will retrofit its 2017-built, 15,000 TEU containership Maersk Halifax for methanol dual fuel operation, in the first of eleven green-methanol engine retrofits planned for mid-2024 (see earlier story). The engine retrofits will be carried out by MAN PrimeServ. Alfa Laval has been chosen to provide the fuel supply system for the first of its kind containership methanol retrofit project.

“We have set an ambitious net-zero emissions target for 2040, and retrofitting of engines on our vessels to run on methanol is an important nut in our strategy,” says Ole Graa Jakobsen, head of fleet technology at A.P. Moller-Maersk. “Retrofitting solutions to accommodate new fuel thereby enabling the engine to operate on methanol is a complex task that requires expertise, and we are happy to have Alfa Laval on board on this project.”

Alfa Laval will supply its FCM Methanol low-flashpoint fuel supply system for the project which will involve adding a new fuel line for methanol alongside the traditional fuel line, working within the ship’s existing space constraints and on tight time schedule.

The retrofit is a landmark project that requires advanced engineering and understanding of the practical considerations of working with methanol. Alfa Laval says that its dedication to technology research and product development, as well as its experience in both project execution and vessels in operation (> 150k hours), has prepared it to take on the challenges of equipping both existing and new vessels with methanol solutions. Its system can be designed to meet specific requirements ensuring optimized performance and environmental efficiency.

“At Alfa Laval, we collaborate with the industry frontrunners in exploring and embracing innovative ways for decarbonization,” says Viktor Friberg, head of marine separation & fuel supply systems at Alfa Laval. “The containership methanol retrofit project with Maersk gives us a unique opportunity to take up a new challenge – retrofitting our equipment for methanol use, for the first time. We are immensely proud to extend our expertise to this innovative retrofit project.”

Sailing with green methanol fuel is a sustainable option to reduce emissions, but it requires a fuel supply system that can handle the fuel safely and effectively. With over 80 ships contracted, Alfa Laval has experience in methanol FSS installation and service that goes back to 2015. Thus far, it says, its solution has been the only FSS that has been selected for methanol-fueled vessels so far, accumulating over 450 000 hours in operation.