SIMIC

CLASSIFICATION society American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) joined Maersk at the official naming ceremony in Copenhagen of the first containership fueled by methanol, reported Bangalore's Marine Insight.

Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, christened the 2,100-TEU Laura Maersk, a 32,300-dwt feeder with a traditional bottle of champagne.



The Laura Maersk is the first of 19 dual-fuel engine vessels that can sail on green methanol on order from Maersk to ABS Class. When all 19 vessels on order are deployed and have replaced older vessels they will, when operating on green methanol, generate annual CO2 emissions savings of around 2.3 million tonnes.



Said ABS president John McDonald: "This is a watershed moment for the industry, proving the innovation and dedication of Maersk to support decarbonisation technologies. It is also a moment to mark the industry-leading efforts of ABS to assist clients with services and solutions."



Said Maersk fleet management chief Leonardo Sonzio: "I want to thank the American Bureau of Shipping for helping us turn a vision into reality and being a significant part of this journey for Laura Maersk to accelerate the green transition."



ABS has published guidance on methanol as marine fuel, evaluating the challenges in the design and operation of methanol-fueled vessels.