The Laura Maersk ship is the first in the world to use entirely green methanol fuel. The launch of the Laura Maersk ship is considered a major milestone for the international maritime industry in its journey towards achieving net-zero emissions by 2050.

Speaking at the launching event, Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, stated: "This ship, and this moment, highlight the efforts of the European Union (EU) in leading the fight against climate change." She emphasized that the transition to methanol-powered transport ships will help reduce global CO2 emissions by 2.75 million tons per year.

The 172-meter-long Laura Maersk ship, painted in sky blue, is one of the 25 methanol-powered ships ordered by Maersk and is expected to be operational by 2030.

It is worth noting that the world's first green container ship completed its maiden voyage from South Korea, where it was built, to Denmark in July. Maersk has announced that the ship will dock at Toldboden, part of the Copenhagen port in Denmark, for about a week. The company affirms that the Laura Maersk ship will provide a "real operational experience" for sailors with its new methanol-powered engines.

Von der Leyen added: "By decarbonizing the maritime transport sector, we are not only advancing the fight against climate change but also creating new supply chains, new industries, and thousands of new jobs."

Methanol is a colorless liquid used as a fuel for engines. Methanol is considered green when it is produced from low-carbon sources such as hydrogen or biomass.

According to the Methanol Institute, green methanol can reduce CO2 emissions by 60-95% compared to conventional fuels such as gasoline or diesel. Additionally, the sulfur content, which contributes to air pollution and acid rain, is lower in green methanol compared to other substances.

According to data from the International Renewable Energy Agency, the current production capacity for green methanol is relatively low, at around 0.2 million tons per year. In contrast, conventional methanol production exerts a significantly larger amount, reaching about 98 million tons annually.

Launching the Laura Maersk - the world's first green ship using green methanol fuels

Although environmentally friendly, the green methanol market is still challenged by several barriers. One of the biggest matters of concern is the higher production cost of renewable methanol compared to conventional methanol. Additionally, methanol is considered a hazardous substance, prone to fire and explosion. As a result, the recovery, storage, and handling process of this substance requires high caution.

However, the green methanol market is expanding as more countries and industries recognize the potential of this fuel.

In Denmark, Maersk and the A.P. Moller industrial group are doubling their production of green methanol. A.P. Moller has established a new company called C2X to produce clean methanol with a target of 3 million tons per year by 2030.

Large-scale green methanol projects, including the Huelva port in Spain and near the Suez Canal in Egypt, will contribute to Denmark and the world achieving their targets.

In addition, many other European countries have proposed initiatives to promote the green methanol market and the clean fuel market in general.

In Sweden, the Project Air initiative aims to develop large-scale clean methanol to replace fossil methanol. This initiative has received 97 million euros in support from the EU Innovation Fund. Project Air aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 123% compared to conventional methanol.

Meanwhile, in Spain, the Ecoplanta Molecular Solutions joint venture between Agbar, Repsol, and Enerkem has planned to produce 240,000 tons of methanol annually and recover 70% of the carbon in non-recyclable materials. This joint venture has signed a sponsorship agreement with the European Commission in April 2022. The joint venture will start operating carbon recovery and storage plants in 2026, aiming to reduce 3.4 mtCO2e greenhouse gas emissions in the first 10 years.

In Asia, Singapore, the world's largest fuel hub, also targets carbon reduction in international transport activities through the usage of low-carbon fuels. To support the development of new technologies and promote the use of alternative fuels such as methanol and biofuels, the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore established the Maritime Green Future Fund in 2020, committing to provide $80 million for research and innovation efforts to decarbonize the maritime industry.

"By 2030, our ports will reduce at least 60% of emissions compared to the 2005 levels. By 2050, our goal is to achieve net-zero emissions at the ports.", stated in the Singapore Maritime Decarbonization Plan for 2020.

In the meantime, besides the maritime sector, China has also started implementing clean methanol in other transportation sectors, including buses and heavy-duty vehicles./.