10 July 2023 (Lloyd's List) - MAERSK has taken delivery of the first-ever containership to be built to dual-fuel methanol specification from South Korea’s Hyundai Mipo Dockyard.

The 2,100 teu capacity ship, still officially referred to as hull number 4168, was ordered in July 2021, following Maersk’s commitment to use carbon-neutral methanol for part of its vessel fleet from 2024, in order to deliver on its decarbonisation strategy.

While Maersk has yet to disclose the name of the vessel, recent images of the ship confirm that it has been named Laura Maersk. 

The newbuilding is due to set sail from its shipbuilder later this week and will bunker with bio-methanol for its maiden voyage from South Korea to Copenhagen, where the vessel will be named in September by European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen. 

Laura Maersk is due to bunker with bio-methanol in Ulsan, Singapore, Port Said and Rotterdam prior to its arrival in Copenhagen. The ice-class vessel is set to be deployed in the Baltic feeder trades following its naming ceremony. 

According to data tracked by Lloyd’s List, a total of 97 containerships have now been ordered to dual-fuel methanol specification following the lead taken by Maersk two years ago. Furthermore, 26 boxships have recently been booked for conversion from conventional fuel to methanol-capable specification.