Maersk’s Towage Operator Svitzer Sets Carbon Neutral by 2040 Goal

A.P. Moller-Maersk’s towage operator Svitzer has announced its plan to become full carbon neutral by 2040.

Svitzer’s decarbonization strategy will be done in two phases, starting with a goal to reduce the CO2 intensity of its entire fleet by 50% by 2030. “This will pave the way for fully carbon neutral operations just ten years’ later in 2040, which is in line with A.P. Moller-Maersk’s ambition,” Svitzer said.

Svitzer will measure progress against a 2020 baseline, when company’s fleet of approximately 400 vessels emitted 280,000 tonnes of CO2—approximately equivalent to 110,000 cars.

To achieve its goal, the company will focus on changes to its “fuel mix,” including exploring the use of methanol and other low carbon fuel solutions. Already, as part of Svitzer’s “EcoTow” project, Svitzer’s entire fleets in London, Felixstowe, and Southampton have switched to low carbon biofuels. Due to the success of the project, Svitzer plans are to incorporate biofuel more widely across ports in the UK and to its global operations.

Svitzer will also focus on improving the efficiency of its fleet from a design perspesctive. “As part of this, the company will launch its new and innovative TRAnsverse Tug design, which can generate higher steering forces than most designs of similar dimensions in a smaller, more nimble package with a reduced environmental footprint. The Robert Allan design will come into operation from Q3 2023,” Svitzer said.

“We are proud to unveil our strategy to become fully carbon neutral by 2040. We are not committing to these ambitions lightly and understand that it will require leadership and collaboration with our customers, suppliers, industry peers, and ports around the world to ensure success,” said Svitzer CEO Kasper Nilaus. “Widespread changes and investment into the way we work, the fuel we burn, and the composition of our fleet will be required.”

“The decarbonisation strategy we are launching today is ambitious and sets a clear roadmap for Svitzer but, most importantly, it is absolutely achievable if we focus on the right areas to generate real progress,” added Gareth Prowse, Head of Decarbonisation at Svitzer. “That is why we have split our strategy into three pillars: behaviour, equipment, and fuel, and we will focus on each of these in a step change fashion to bring about carbon neutrality in a way that works for our customers and maintains the high level of service Svitzer is known for.”

Unlock Exclusive Insights Today!

Join the gCaptain Club for curated content, insider opinions, and vibrant community discussions.

Sign Up