Maersk ship now operates on methanol after conversion

Maersk Halifax será capaz de operar com metanol após de conversão (Divulgação/Maersk)

Maersk has completed the first conversion of a large container ship to a dual-fuel engine capable of operating on methanol. The modernization of Maersk Halifax, aimed at reducing carbon emissions, was carried out at the Zhoushan Xinya Shipyard in China over 88 days.

After sea trials, the vessel returned to operation and is now serving customers in transpacific trade, according to Leonardo Sonzio, Maersk’s Head of Fleet Management and Technology.

The executive explains that since the company set its climate goal of achieving net-zero emissions by 2040, it has been exploring the potential for upgrading existing ships with dual-fuel engines.

“Modernizing existing vessels can be an important alternative to new orders in our transition from fossil fuels to low-emission fuels”, says Sonzio.

In addition to replacing engine components to enable methanol operation, the retrofit involved the addition of new fuel tanks, a preparation room, and a fueling system.

The ship’s hull was extended to accommodate the new tanks. With these modifications, the vessel's length was increased by 15 meters, reaching 368 meters, and its capacity grew from approximately 15,000 TEU to 15,690 TEU.