German container shipping line completes first vessel conversion as part of US$120mn programme
Container line Hapag-Lloyd says it has retrofitted its first vessel with a dual-fuel engine capable of using methanol.
The retrofit programme, which the group has undertaken with maritime asset management firm Seaspan Corporation, will eventually see five 10,100-TEU charter ships upgraded at a estimated cost of US$120mn.
In a statement, Hapag-Lloyd said the first vessel to be converted, Seaspan Yangtze, represented an “important milestone” in its strategic collaboration with Seaspan and German technology provider Everllence.
“Retrofitting existing vessels is an important lever on our way to decarbonise our fleet operations by 2045,” said Silke Lehmköster, the company’s fleet managing director.
“The successful conversion of the Seaspan Yangtze shows that technical innovation and close cooperation with strong partners can make proven vessels ready for the use of low-carbon fuels,” she said.
“For our customers, this is another concrete step towards more sustainable supply chains.”
Each conversion can apparently reduce CO2e emissions by between 30,000 and 50,000 tonnes per vessel per year, when operating on low-carbon methanol.
In addition to supporting emissions reductions, the project extends the operational use of existing vessels and increases fuel flexibility, the group said.
