31 January 2024 (Lloyd's List) - CMA CGM has joined the growing list of shipowners that are arranging the retrofit of conventional-fuel containerships to enable operation on methanol.
The world's third-largest operator of containerships has signed an agreement with China's Qingdao Beihai Shipbuilding to undertake conversion of at least one 9,300 teu boxship to dual-fuel methanol specification.
The agreement was confirmed by the China State Shipbuilding Corporation shipbuilding and ship repair subsidiary following a signing ceremony at the yard with CMA CGM yesterday, January 30.
While Qingdao Beihai did not disclose the identity of the vessel involved, CMA CGM has six 9,300 teu containerships in service which were built in 2014 and 2015.
The undertaking of the complex conversion work, which requires modifications to engine fuel injection systems, new fuel tanks and the fitting of a methanol fuel preparation room, would normally be undertaken during special surveys which occur every five years following vessel delivery.
The most likely candidates, all of which have their second special surveys due within the next year, are named APL Danube (IMO: 9674517), CMA CGM Elbe (IMO: 9674529), CMA CGM Loire (IMO: 9674531), CMA CGM Rhone (IMO: 9674543), CMA CGM Tage (IMO: 9674555) and CMA CGM Thames (IMO: 9674567). All six vessels were built in China by Dalian Shipbuilding and mainly deployed on the US east coast-Asia trade.
CMA CGM is an existing client of Qingdao Beihai for both ship repair and shipbuilding. The shipyard has undertaken several containership capacity upgrades for the Marseille-based liner operator in addition to scrubber and ballast water treatment installations and routine drydockings.
In 2021, CMA CGM ordered 10 5,598 teu boxships from the shipyard. The lead vessel in the series, CMA CGM Sahara (IMO: 9938327), is due to be delivered in the first quarter of 2024.
The six potential candidates are fitted with a nine cylinder version of MAN B&Ws S90ME main engine.
CMA CGM ordered its first dual-fuel methanol newbuildings in 2022. It now has a total of 32 containerships capable of methanol fuel propulsion on order of between 9,200 teu and 22,000 teu.
CMA CGM joins a growing list of boxship operators, which are converting existing heavy fuel oil-powered tonnage to methanol power.
In December, Cosco confirmed the signing of conversion contracts with MAN Energy Solutions and Wärtsilä to retrofit two 13,800 teu and two 20,000 teu conventional-fuel vessels each fitted with 11 cylinder versions of the S90ME engine. Cosco holds options for a further nine ships fitted with the same engine type. The conversion work will be undertaken in China by Cosco Shipping Heavy Industries.
In October 2023, Maersk confirmed that it had booked the 2017-built, 15,226 teu, Maersk Halifax (IMO: 9784271) in to Zhoushan Xinya Shipyard Co to have its MAN B&W main engine retrofitted for dual-fuel methanol operations. This project is expected to be completed in September, while Maersk Halifax's 10 sister vessels are also expected to be converted.
Hapag-Lloyd's fleet managing director, Capt Richard von Berlepsch, told Lloyd's List late last year that the company is working on a joint project with containership tonnage provider Seaspan to investigate the potential for methanol-fuel retrofits.
