Freight giant Hapag-Lloyd has announced it plans to deploy e-fuels on trans-oceanic container ships from 2027.
The Zero Emission Maritime Buyers Alliance (ZEMBA), a non-profit group seeking to accelerate commercial zero-emission shipping, announced that Hapag-Lloyd won its second tender for ocean shipping using hydrogen-derived e-methanol, paving the way for the firm to roll out e-methanol on large methanol dual-fuel containerships.
‘Significant milestone’
“At a time when sourcing scalable e-fuels remains a major challenge for the entire industry, winning the second ZEMBA tender is a significant milestone for us,” commented Rolf Habben Jansen, CEO of Hapag-Lloyd.
“Deploying e-methanol is an essential step in our journey to reach net-zero fleet operations by 2045. We are very grateful for the trust that all ZEMBA members have placed in our capabilities, and we remain fully committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions and contributing to a greener future for global shipping.”
ZEMBA members, which include firms such as Amazon, IKEA, and Nike, have committed to collectively abating at least 120,000 metric tonnes of CO₂ equivalent over a minimum period of three years. Hapag-Lloyd will contribute the ‘lion’s share’ of these volumes, it noted.
This is the second time that Hapag-Lloyd has won a ZEMBA tender, having secured its inaugural tender for biomethane in 2024. The company said that this second tender marks the ‘next step toward scaling zero- and near-zero-emission fuels’.
“We applaud Hapag-Lloyd for their leadership and technical innovation in response to ZEMBA’s pioneering market signal,” added Ingrid Irigoyen, President and CEO of ZEMBA “Through collaboration across the maritime value chain, this partnership will enable rapid on-the-water deployment of vastly scalable, next-generation maritime fuels.”
North Sea Container Line
Elsewhere, regional feeder North Sea Container Line (NCL) has also won a ZEMBA tender, and will deploy the world’s first e-ammonia-powered containership, serving a northern European trade lane.
“With a dedicated product for ZEMBA’s members who are ready to drive real change, NCL will continue to push the transition towards next generation maritime fuels,” commented Bente Hetland, CEO of NCL. Read more here and here.
