Hutchison Ports-operated Port of Felixstowe welcomed the maiden call of Laura Maersk, the world’s first container ship to complete a voyage fuelled by green methanol.
The 2,100 TEU container vessel will operate between Northern Europe and the Bay of Bothnia on Maersk’s Baltic shipping route.
“This is a truly historic event. It is essential that the industry moves to decarbonise shipping and this first call by an alternatively fuelled vessel complements Hutchison Ports’ commitment to achieve Net Zero for our UK operations by 2035,” stated Clemence Cheng, executive director of Hutchison Ports and Port of Felixstowe CEO.
He further added “All our electricity already comes from certified renewable sources and we are investing heavily in new electric trucks and yard cranes. By deploying the first of the 150 electric trucks we have in order to work on the Laura Maersk we are able to demonstrate how zero-emission journeys through the port are possible.”
The Rt Hon Dr Therese Coffey MP, Secretary of State for the Environment and Kitack Lim, Secretary-General of the International Maritime Organisation (IMO), joined guests at the port and visited the vessel.
“The UK Government has been a leader in introducing mandatory targets to achieve Net-Zero by 2050. Shipping is one of the more challenging sectors to decarbonise and I am pleased to see Maersk Line taking a lead in the adoption of green fuels,” stated Therese Coffey.
“I’m delighted to witness this initiative which demonstrates shipping’s ability to power a vessel entirely by green methanol. These visionary endeavours provide an invaluable insight and pave the way for future initiatives in pursuit of a green and sustainable shipping sector,” highlighted Kitack Lim.