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Oct 13, 2023

EC's Ursula von der Leyen to be Maersk methanol vessel godmother

Gary Howard | Jun 06, 2023 The 2,100 teu, 172-metre, Danish-flagged vessel will be named at a ceremony in Copenhagen on September 14 before joining its route in the Baltic Sea. While in Copenhagen,

Gary Howard | Jun 06, 2023

The 2,100 teu, 172-metre, Danish-flagged vessel will be named at a ceremony in Copenhagen on September 14 before joining its route in the Baltic Sea.

While in Copenhagen, the vessel will be the centrepiece of a range of events highlighting decarbonisation in the maritime industry, said Maersk.

Related: Maersk sheds $5bn in revenue in 'strongest' 2023 quarter

“Just a few years ago, this iconic ship was merely a vision. Now, it is a reality, and we are honored that Ursula von der Leyen has agreed to be its godmother. The European Commission, and especially its President, have been instrumental in steering the European continent towards an ambitious, green future. Our new vessel serves as a concrete example of the transformations that EU policies are supporting. This truly is the embodiment of the green deal in action,” said Vincent Clerc, CEO of A.P. Moller - Maersk.

As Maersk works towards its decarbonisation milestones, the new feeder vessel will bring hands-on operational experience for its crews with green methanol as a fuel and the new engines. The company’s larger methanol-fuelled container ships are set to join the fleet from 2024.

Related: How far is Maersk on its journey to become an integrator?

Maersk currently has a target of net zero GHG emissions by 2040, and by 2030 the company aims to transport at least 25% of its ocean cargo using green fuels.

“The landmark feeder vessel is a major step toward the long-term objective of gradually renewing the entire fleet to operate solely on green fuels,” said Maersk.

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