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The world’s first methanol-enabled container vessel will carry the name Laura Maersk, EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen revealed at a Sept 14 ceremony in Copenhagen
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Maersk has 24 additional methanol vessels on order for delivery between 2024 and 2027
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It also has a policy to only order new, owned vessels that come with a green fuel option
The world’s first methanol-enabled container vessel will carry the name “Laura Maersk”, European Union Commission President Ursula von der Leyen revealed at a ceremony in the Port of Copenhagen on Sept 14.
The name was revealed when the ship’s godmother, von der Leyen, christened the vessel by breaking a champagne bottle over the bow. Besides the godmother, Maersk Chair Robert Uggla and Maersk Chief Executive Officer Vincent Clerc also spoke at the ceremony.
“Laura Maersk is a historic milestone for shipping across the globe. It shows the entrepreneurial spirit that has characterized Maersk since the founding of the company. However, more importantly this vessel is a very realproof point that when we as an industry unite through determined efforts and partnerships, a tangible and optimistic path toward a sustainable future emerges. This new green vessel is the breakthrough we needed, but we still have a long way to go before we make it all the way to zero,” Clerc said in a statement.
When Captain Peter Maersk Moller bought his first steamship in 1886, he named her Laura, after a friend’s daughter. With its steam engine, Laura was a product of the second industrial revolution, making its impact on the shipping industry significant.
Furthermore, “Laura” was the first vessel to wear the white seven-pointed star on a light blue background. This symbol later would become the logo of A.P. Moller – Maersk.
“Like her ancestor, our new Laura Mærsk is marking the beginning of a new era for our industry,” Leonardo Sonzio, Head of Fleet Management and Technology, said. “By having a methanol-enabled engine, she is not only first of her kind – she also marks an important step on our journey towards net zero emissions in 2040. We are writing important history here, and I couldn’t think of a more fitting name for the vessel.”
Maersk has an ambitious 2040 target of net zero greenhouse gas emissions and aims to transport a minimum of 25% of ocean cargo using green fuels by 2030. The 2,100 TEU (twenty-foot-equivalent) feeder vessel is an important step toward the long-term objective of gradually renewing the entire Maersk fleet to operate solely on green fuels.
Maersk has 24 additional methanol vessels on order for delivery between 2024 and 2027 and a policy to only order new, owned vessels that come with a green fuel option.
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