The Alette Maersk made history as the first container vessel powered by low-carbon methanol fuel to cross the Pacific Ocean, marking a significant milestone in the shipping industry's efforts to mitigate its climate impact.
However, upon arriving at the Port of Los Angeles from China last week, the 1,148-foot (350-metre) vessel faced a challenge: there were no available sources of green fuel in the US, necessitating a reliance on petroleum-based maritime fuel for its return journey.
During a day-long ship naming event, representatives from AP Moller-Maersk highlighted the urgent need for more affordable green fuel to enable the industry, which contributes nearly 3 per cent of global greenhouse gases, to decarbonize at the required rate to combat climate change, as advised by scientists and world governments.
Maersk CEO Vincent Clerc emphasised the urgency of the situation, stating that "we're on a clock." Maersk is committed to achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2040 and has positioned itself as a leader in the energy transition within its sector, with five green methanol ships already operational and another 20 on order.
Despite these advancements, the new vessels represent only a small fraction of Maersk's fleet of 700 owned and chartered ships. The new ships are also dual-fuelled, allowing them to operate on fossil fuels when green methanol is too costly or unavailable.
Green methanol, which can be produced from agricultural and food waste or through carbon dioxide and hydrogen using renewable electricity, currently costs two to three times more than fossil fuels. Maersk representatives noted that global production of green methanol is still very limited. However, China's Goldwind has committed to supplying green methanol for the first of Maersk's 12 large ocean-going vessels scheduled to use this fuel, with deliveries expected to begin in 2026.
