by Lloyd's List

18 June 2025 (Lloyd's List) - MAERSK has named its largest dual-fuel methanol vessel to date in a ceremony at the Hyundai Heavy Industries yard in Ulsan, South Korea.

The 17,480 teu Berlin Maersk (IMO: 9984560) is the Danish line’s 14th dual-fuel vessel. It will be joined by five sister ships, all in the same class, which are set to be delivered by HHI by the end of the year. All six will fly under the Danish flag.

Maersk had identified methanol as its alternative fuel of choice, as it strives to achieve net zero emissions by 2040. However, the line hedged its bets late last year with the orders of several dual-fuel LNG vessels as well.

Head of chartering and newbuilding at Maersk Anda Cristescu said the Berlin Maersk class of vessels would allow the company to “continue to build an ocean toolkit adaptable to multiple fuel pathways”.

“Fleet renewal is essential for maintaining our competitive edge in ocean shipping, and it serves as a cornerstone of our commitment to decarbonisation.” she said.

The new vessel closely follows Maersk’s previous designs, but adds a wider beam so more containers can be transported.

Head of fleet technology Ole Graa Jakobsen said Maersk had “come a long way” in its investment in methanol as a fuel (despite the hedge towards LNG), and said the Berlin Maersk class set a new industry benchmark in efficiency.

Despite moderate order growth in 2024, DNV’s Alternative Fuel Insights platform shows there were 24 methanol-fuelled orders placed in April 2025 alone. However, it still ranks behind LNG as the most popular alternative fuel for newbuildings.

The vessel enters service on July 7 and will operate Maersk’s AE3 route connecting eastern Asia and northern Europe.