On March 8, 2024, Zhoushan Xinya Shipyard hosted the steel cutting ceremony for the 14000 TEU Maersk Halifax methanol dual fuel retrofit project.
The Shipyard organized the event that marked the beginning of the world’s first container vessel methanol dual fuel retrofit project. Notable attendees included representatives from the Maersk project team, ABS, and leaders and employees from the company’s headquarters.
The project originated from a pivotal moment on October 18, 2023, when Zhoushan Xinya Shipyard company and Maersk officially signed the contract for the World’s First Container Vessel Methanol Dual Fuel Retrofit Project.
To remind, Maersk was also the first company in the world to accept a dual-fuel methanol newbuild container ship. The container vessel, Laura Maersk, was built at Hyundai Mipo Dockyard in Ulsan, South Korea, and is destined for service in the Baltic Sea. It has a container capacity of 2,100 TEU (twenty-foot equivalent unit).
Generally, methanol is gaining prominence as a promising marine fuel due to its potential to contribute to reduce emissions within the maritime industry. According to the Methanol Institute, there are currently 251 methanol newbuild vessels on the water or in the order book, including large container ships, chemical tankers, ferries, car carriers, and bulkers.
