Last week’s announcement of Zemba awarding Hapag-Lloyd a zero-emission contract has propelled the Hamburg carrier further into the realm of green shipping innovations.
In its latest endeavor, Hapag-Lloyd has inked a deal with Seaspan Corporation to retrofit five 10,100-TEU charter vessels with dual-fuel engines capable of running on methanol. These container ships currently rely on conventional MAN S90 engines.
Dr. Maximilian Rothkopf, Hapag-Lloyd’s COO, expressed the company’s commitment to sustainability, aiming to decarbonize its entire fleet by 2045.
The methanol retrofit project, slated for 2026, aligns with this ambitious agenda, meeting the increasing demand for eco-conscious transportation solutions from customers.
Seaspan’s CEO, Torsten Holst Pedersen, highlighted the pivotal role of retrofitting in achieving decarbonization targets within the container shipping industry.
He emphasized Hapag-Lloyd’s strategic investments not only in newbuilds and retrofits but also in exploring and sourcing green fuels.
Green methanol has emerged as a promising low-emission fuel for the future, as affirmed by Hapag-Lloyd.
The vessels earmarked for retrofitting include the Seaspan Amazon, Seaspan Ganges, Seaspan Thames, Seaspan Yangtze, and Seaspan Zambezi.
The retrofit process, expected to span 80-90 days per vessel, is slated to commence in the first quarter of 2026.
With an estimated investment of around $120 million for all five units, Hapag-Lloyd’s methanol retrofit initiative marks a significant stride towards greener and more sustainable shipping practices.
