Danish company has ordered 12 methanol-powered container vessels from shipbuilder Hyundai Heavy Industries
RechargeNews.com
11 January 2022 19:17 GMT UPDATED 12 January 2022 11:37 GMT
By Leigh Collins
It has largely gone under the radar in the hydrogen sector, but shipping giant AP Moller-Maersk could soon become one of the world’s largest consumers of green H2 after ordering 12 methanol-fuelled container vessels from Korean shipbuilder Hyundai Heavy Industries.
The Danish company says it will reduce its annual CO2 emissions by 1.5 million tonnes when the dozen ships — due to be delivered in 2024 and 2025 — are powered by “carbon-neutral” green methanol produced either from biogas/biomass or renewable hydrogen combined with captured carbon dioxide.
The global maritime sector currently emits 940 million tonnes of CO2 per year — 2.5% of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions — according to the International Maritime Organization, as the bunker fuels it relies upon are among the most carbon-rich fossil fuels out there.
If the world is to reach net-zero emissions by 2050, this dirty fuel needs to be replaced with carbon-free or carbon-neutral alternatives, with three potential fuels now under consideration: hydrogen, ammonia (NH3) and methanol (CH3OH).
Maersk has been the first major shipping company to take the green plunge, opting for methanol — a decision that could have far-reaching consequences.
“It's a wise move if you're looking at what's the path of least resistance from a ship design perspective,” says Bryan Comer, marine programme lead at non-profit International Council on Clean Transportation.