MAN Energy Solutions has completed the world’s first retrofit of a Very Large Container Vessel (VLCV) to enable green methanol operation.
The Maersk Halifax, a 15,000 TEU containership, underwent an extensive 88-day transformation at China’s Zhoushan Xinya Shipyard, marking a significant milestone in shipping’s decarbonization journey.
The ambitious project involved converting the vessel’s original MAN B&W 8G95ME-C9.5 engine to an 8G95ME-LGIM Mk10.5 unit, capable of reducing CO2 emissions by 90%. The retrofit included comprehensive modifications such as new fuel tanks, a fuel preparation room, and a fuel supply system. Additionally, the ship’s hull was extended by 15 meters, increasing its capacity to 15,690 TEU.
MAN B&W 8G95ME-C9.5. Photo: MAN Energy Solutions
“Since we set the ambitious climate goal of reaching net zero emissions by 2040, we have explored the potential in retrofitting existing vessels with dual-fuel engines,” said Leonardo Sonzio, Head of Fleet Management and Technology at Maersk.
The success of this pioneering project has already catalyzed further industry momentum, with Maersk pre-ordering conversions for ten additional vessels. Michael Petersen, Senior Vice President of PrimeServ Denmark, highlighted the broader potential, noting that “more than 4,000 existing marine engines have the potential to be converted to operation on green fuels like e-methanol and e-methane.”
The Maersk Halifax, part of the company’s Hong Kong-class fleet, has already returned to service on the Trans-Pacific trade route, demonstrating that sustainable shipping solutions can be successfully implemented within existing fleets.
“This groundbreaking project marks a pivotal moment in the shipping industry’s journey towards decarbonisation,” said Sarath Prasannan, Senior Vice President and Head of Region Asia Pacific. “We hope that China’s policies and infrastructure will continue to foster an environment where shipyards can carry forward this commendable work.”
The Trump administration took steps to impose levies on Chinese vessels docking at US ports, threatening to shake up global shipping routes and escalate the trade war between the world’s two biggest economies.
Liner shipping association the World Shipping Council (WSC) has raised significant concerns about the newly announced U.S. Trade Representative port fee regime, warning of potential adverse effects on American trade...
Scaled-back from earlier proposals, the final USTR plan softens fee levels and offers exemptions and incentives, aiming to curb Chinese dominance without crippling global trade flows. The U.S. Trade Representative...
April 17, 2025
Total Views: 7720
Get The Industry’s Go-To News
Subscribe to gCaptain Daily and stay informed with the latest global maritime and offshore news
— just like 109,251 professionals
Secure Your Spot
on the gCaptain Crew
Stay informed with the latest maritime and offshore news, delivered daily straight to your inbox
— trusted by our 109,251 members
Your Gateway to the Maritime World!
Essential news coupled with the finest maritime content sourced from across the globe.
This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.