Danish shipping giant AP Moller Maersk has taken delivery of a new ultra-large container ship (ULCS) during a ceremony in the Port of Aarhus, Baird Maritime reports. This fleet expansion is an important step towards the company’s ambitious goal of achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2040.
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The vessel, named Antonia Maersk, is part of a new series of methanol-powered vessels that Maersk will receive between 2024 and 2025 after they are built at HD Hyundai Heavy Industries in South Korea. This move is in line with Maersk’s commitment to reduce emissions across all its operations.
Antonia Maersk is the mirror image of her sister ship Ane Maersk with a length of 350 meters, a beam of 53.5 meters, a draft of 18 meters and a capacity of 16,592 TEU. The vessel can accommodate 30 crew members and features an innovative design where the funnel is placed at the stern while the bridge and accommodation block are positioned forward, improving fuel efficiency and maximizing cargo space.
Powered by a Hyundai-MAN B&W 8G95ME-C10.5-LGIM-EGRTC eight-cylinder dual-fuel engine, Antonia Maersk can reach a service speed of 21 knots. This engine can run on both conventional marine fuel and methanol, providing operational flexibility. The vessel’s two methanol fuel tanks, with a total capacity of 16,000 cubic meters, enable it to travel up to 23,000 nautical miles. In addition, running on methanol can reduce the vessel’s CO2 emissions by up to 280 tons per day compared to similar vessels using heavy fuel oil.
This delivery underlines Maersk’s ongoing efforts to lead the shipping industry in sustainability, with Antonia Maersk setting a new standard for environmentally conscious shipping.
