New arrival at container giant Maersk: The “Adrian Maersk” was christened today at the Maasvlakte II terminal in Rotterdam.
The newbuilding has a capacity of 16,000 TEU and is designed for operation with methanol. It will be deployed in the Asia-Mediterranean service.
As part of Maersk’s new East-West network, the newbuilding will contribute to the goal of achieving a punctuality rate of over 90% as soon as the new Gemini network – together with partner Hapag-Lloyd – is fully operational. The shipping company, the world’s No. 2 in terms of capacity, is pursuing ambitious decarbonization plans that focus on biofuels and e-methanol. These fuels can reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 65 to even 90% compared to conventional energy sources, depending on the raw material and production.
Maersk is advancing fleet decarbonization
Maersk also announced that dual-fuel ships powered by liquid methane are to be deployed as soon as possible. Given the global demand for fuel, a mix of different alternative, low-emission fuel technologies is needed to decarbonize the shipping industry, according to the shipping company, which had one of its strongest years ever in 2024.
Stephanie Pullings Hart, Executive Vice President and Chief Operations Officer (COO) of Nestlé, is the godmother of the new “Adrian Maersk”. The Group ships 100% of its Maersk ocean freight as part of the “Eco Delivery Ocean” product, which uses alternative fuels to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. These reduce greenhouse gas emissions from Nestlé’s freight by more than 80% and represent a significant financial commitment from Nestlé.
“At Nestlé, we see climate change as one of the most pressing challenges of our time,” says Pullings Hart. “As a global leader in the food and beverage industry, we are determined to tackle this issue with decisive action. By reducing our greenhouse gas emissions by 20% by 2024 – exceeding our 2025 target – and aiming for net zero emissions by 2050, we are underlining our commitment to sustainability.”
“The dual-fuel ships show that the technology for the energy transition is available in the shipping industry,” said Karsten Kildahl, CCO of Maersk. “The decisions that the IMO member states will make next month in London are now crucial. We urgently need regulation that promotes the introduction of fuels that significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions. At the same time, we need ambitious customers like Nestlé as close partners for the green transformation of shipping and logistics, which we could not achieve without their support.”
