On the one hand, the Danish shipping company is now focusing on LNG again. On the other hand, methanol also remains in focus: the first container ship to be converted to methanol propulsion has (re)entered service.
The “Maersk Halifax” is the first large ship in the industry to be converted into a dual-fuel ship that can run on methanol. The conversion was carried out at the Zhoushan Xinya shipyard in China in 88 days and was completed at the end of October 2024, the Danes have now announced.
“We are pleased to announce that the ‘Maersk Halifax’ has been successfully converted to a dual-fuel methanol vessel. Following the completion of sea trials, she has resumed operations and is now serving our customers in the transpacific trade,” said Leonardo Sonzio, Head of Fleet Management and Technology at Maersk.
Maersk wants to learn lessons from conversion from 2025
In view of the uncertainties regarding fuel availability and prices, Maersk – like a number of other shipping companies – has also recently turned its attention back to LNG for its ships. However, the company is apparently also sticking with methanol.
The engine conversion was carried out by MAN Energy Solutions. In addition to replacing engine parts to make the engine fit for operation with methanol, new fuel tanks, a fuel treatment room and a fuel supply system were installed in the shipyard. The ship’s hull was also extended to accommodate the fuel tanks. This modification has extended the length of the ship by 15 m to 368 metres and increased its capacity from around 15,000 to 15,690 TEU.
“In the coming year, we will learn the lessons from this first conversion of a large ship. Retrofitting existing ships can be an important alternative to newbuilds in our transition from fossil fuels to low-emission fuels,” Sonzio continues.
