The liner shipping company Evergreen and the shortsea carrier X-Press Feeders intend to jointly establish a “green” feeder network in Europe.
Both companies have signed a letter of intent to this effect, expressing their intention to work closely together in the future. Accordingly, the shipping company Evergreen (Taiwan) intends to accommodate its transhipment containers on the methanol-capable newbuildings ordered by X-Press Feeders. [ds_preview]
X-Press Feeders is the world’s largest independent shortsea carrier, with around 100 vessels ranging from small feeders to Panamax size, and is one of the world’s 20 largest container shipping companies. The Singapore-based company’s order book contains a total of 14 newbuilds, which will join the fleet from the second quarter of this year and could run on methanol fuel in the future thanks to their dual-fuel engines.
14 methanol newbuilds for X-Press Feeders
All of these eco-feeders are to be used on European routes. The appropriate services for an inner-European “green” corridor are to be developed together with Evergreen. According to the two partners, this is the first feeder network of its kind in the world. The new ships will initially be deployed from Rotterdam and will sail towards the Baltic and Scandinavia.
X-Press Feeders has already signed a contract with the Dutch bunker supplier OCI Global for the supply of “green” methanol to secure the supply of the fleet. The newbuildings are considered a core element of the sustainability strategy, which aims to reduce emissions (CO2e) by 25% by 2035, 50% by 2040 and net zero by 2050.
“We are doing pioneering work and have decided to deploy our ships sooner rather than later,” says Francis Goh, COO of the feeder shipping company. In order to achieve the targets for reducing greenhouse gas emissions, action must be taken today. Port operators, fuel suppliers, logistics companies and shippers are called upon to join this journey towards more sustainable shipping.
