A.P. Moller–Maersk has completed the first ship-to-ship commercial ethanol bunkering of a deep-sea container vessel in the United States, using domestically produced corn ethanol.
The operation was carried out aboard the dual-fuel, alcohol-enabled container ship Tangier Maersk. The vessel was supplied with 100% US-produced corn ethanol as part of Maersk’s efforts to assess ethanol as an alternative marine fuel.
The company said the operation provided practical insights into the operational, infrastructure, sourcing and supply-chain requirements associated with using ethanol in commercial shipping. The trial also builds on Maersk’s previous ethanol testing aboard its vessels, including Laura Maersk and Antonia Maersk.
Ethanol benefits from an established production base and existing supply infrastructure in the United States. Its compatibility with alcohol-enabled vessel technology could provide shipping companies with another fuel option as the industry works to reduce emissions.
However, Maersk noted that the wider adoption of ethanol as a marine fuel will depend on several factors, including availability at scale, bunkering infrastructure, regulatory requirements and operational readiness across the maritime value chain.
The bunkering operation involved cooperation between several organisations across the maritime and biofuels sectors. US bioethanol producer POET supplied the fuel, while Kirby Corporation supported the marine bunkering operation and fuel transportation. Port authorities and the US Coast Guard also supported the operation and regulatory requirements.
Maersk said the experience gained from the operation will help assess the practical use of ethanol within future marine-fuel supply chains.
The company is continuing to explore multiple fuel pathways as part of its energy-transition strategy. Alongside ethanol, Maersk has been testing methanol-based fuels and other lower-emission options to increase flexibility in the fuel choices available to its fleet.
The US ethanol bunkering milestone provides additional operational experience as shipping companies, fuel producers and ports work to develop alternative-fuel supply chains for deep-sea shipping.