A.P. Moller - Maersk (Maersk) has placed an order for six medium-sized container ships – all with dual-fuel engines that can run on green1 methanol. Yangzijiang Shipbuilding Group will build the six 9,000 TEU vessels that will be delivered in 2026 and 2027.

"With this order, we are taking another step in the green transformation of our fleet and towards our goal of net zero by 2040. As with all our other ship orders over the past two years, these vessels will be able to run on green methanol," said Rabab Boulos, Chief Infrastructure Officer at Maersk.

In 2021, Maersk ordered the world's first container ship with methanol after committing to the principle of ordering only newly built ships that can run on green fuels. Just two years later, the global order book stands at more than 100 methanol-enabled vessels. By ordering six additional vessels, Maersk now has 25 methanol-enabled vessels on order.

Boulos adds: "For these six container ships, we have opted for a design and ship size that makes them very flexible from a deployment point of view. This allows these vessels to perform many functions in both our current and future network, providing the flexibility our customers demand. Once they are phased in, they will replace the existing capacity in our fleet."

According to the development press release, Maersk defines "green fuels" as life-cycle fuels with low to very low life cycle greenhouse gas emissions compared to fossil fuels, as different green fuels achieve different life cycle reductions depending on their production route. The release further cited that for future fuels such as methanol, in which Maersk is involved in the design and development of the project, the company would aim for higher greenhouse gas savings than the legal thresholds set.