Since May 18, 2024, the world’s first container ship powered by green methanol, Laura Maersk, operates the service sailing between the Port of Gothenburg and Bremerhaven.
Birna Ödefors, Area Managing Director Nordics at A.P. Moller Maersk, mentioned that many customers importing and exporting via Gothenburg have already opted for lower-emission ocean transport enabled by green fuels, reducing the greenhouse gas footprint in their supply chain. With the weekly arrival of Laura Maersk, Gothenburg is now connected to a green corridor in Northern Europe, providing Swedish-based customers with direct access to the world’s first methanol-enabled container vessel.
Jacob Minnhagen, Senior Market Development Manager at the Gothenburg Port Authority, also pointed out that freight buyers, through their sustainability agendas, have created a situation where environmental performance has become a crucial factor in their choice of transport.
Fundamentally, it’s the increasingly ambitious transition goals of shipping companies that drive the development, with Maersk being one of the leading players in the field today
… said Jacob Minnhagen
Port of Gothenburg has been working systematically and long-term to create conditions and incentives. One key part is securing the supply of renewable fuels, and the port aims to become Scandinavia’s largest hub for renewable energy. In addition to Bremerhaven and the Port of Gothenburg, the new service calls at the ports in Helsingborg, Halmstad, and Kalundborg.
Laura Maersk is the first vessel in Maersk’s major initiative to use renewable methanol as a ship fuel. As informed, Maersk has 20+ methanol-powered ships on order for delivery between 2024 and 2027.
