4 April 2024 (Lloyd's List) - THE first of Maersk’s 16,000 teu methanol-fuelled boxships, Ane Maersk (IMO: 9948748), has completed its first methanol bunker in Europe at the port of Antwerp-Bruges.
The call is part of the vessel’s inaugural round-trip voyage after launching in South Korea in January.
Ane Maersk is the lead ship in a series of 12 deepsea containerships that were ordered in 2021 and 2022, and which are the first of this size to be capable of using methanol.
The bunkering at MSC PSA European Terminal at Antwerp-Bruges saw it take on 4,300 tonnes of methanol and a further 1,375 tonnes of biodiesel, according to a statement from the port.
“The bunkering process was seamlessly integrated into the vessel’s port stay, combining bunkering simultaneously with on- and off-loading of cargo,” the port said.
“The simultaneous operations increased the efficiency of the port stay by lowering additional time allocation for refuelling.”
For Antwerp-Bruges, the bunkering marked a step in its ambition to transition to a multi-fuel bunkering facility that can accommodate vessels seeking a variety of new fuels as well as conventional bunkers and biodiesel.
The port conducted its first methanol bunkering in 2023, when 475 tonnes of methanol were delivered to Stena Pro Marine (IMO: 9899739).
“As the fifth-largest bunkering port in the world, we are committed to playing a pioneering role in the integration of climate-neutral fuels to the bunker market,” said Antwerp-Bruges chief executive Jacques Vandermeiren.
“Port of Antwerp-Bruges will provide facilities where possible, make both platforms multifuel ready and is itself committed to making its fleet greener by using alternative fuels.”
Maersk chief executive Vincent Clerc said the deployment of the carrier’s first methanol-fuelled vessel on the Asia-Europe trade marked a “landmark” on its path to its net zero target.
“This will make a significant impact in our customers’ efforts to decarbonise their supply chains. We are looking forward to introducing more methanol-enabled vessels on this and other trades during 2024,” he said. “Antwerp-Bruges will play a crucial role in this.”
