On 26 June 2023, Maersk announced that it had placed an order for six mid-sized container vessels equipped with dual-fuel engines capable of running on green methanol.
These ships are not destined to cruise on fossil fuel forever—they are part of a vision for a low-carbon future. The press release from Maersk described how these vessels will contribute to its long-term decarbonisation goals.
That announcement did not emerge in isolation. It built on years of bets—bets on technology, on shifting energy systems, and on global regulations. In fact, Maersk had already committed to ordering only new vessels capable of using carbon-neutral fuel.
The 2023 order alone lifts Maersk’s total number of methanol-capable ships on order to 25. The aim: tilt a giant industry toward cleaner horizons.
Navigating Supply, Regulation, And Scale
A shift of this magnitude—not just for Maersk but for the entire maritime sector—carries real challenges. One of the toughest is methanol supply. Investors and operators alike are hungry for green or bio-methanol, but the infrastructure is barely catching up.
Consider this: in November 2023, Maersk signed a green methanol delivery deal with China’s Goldwind, covering some 12 ocean-going vessels starting 2026. In October 2024, it inked another offtake agreement with LONGi for bio-methanol to satisfy more than half the fuel needs of its methanol-fuel fleet by 2027.
Despite growing enthusiasm, the availability of green methanol continues to trail behind demand. An August 2023 analysis by Reuters highlighted that while many shipping firms are embracing green methanol to cut emissions, production shortfalls and high costs still pose major challenges. Transitioning the fuel from a limited option to an industry standard remains a time-sensitive goal.
At the same time, international regulations are beginning to evolve. The International Maritime Organization (IMO) is advancing policies designed to encourage the adoption of low-emission fuels, offering greater confidence to companies investing in alternatives like methanol.
However, some industry experts caution that these regulatory measures may not be implemented quickly enough to support operators working with tighter financial margins.
Another factor is fleet upgrades and retrofits. Maersk didn’t just order new ships; it’s already retrofitting existing ones. In November 2024, the container vessel Maersk Halifax became the first large vessel converted to dual-fuel methanol, after 88 days in a Chinese yard. They replaced engine components, added fuel tanks, and even extended the hull by 15 meters to make space.
That retrofit is emblematic: it tells us Maersk isn’t waiting for an ideal future—they’re engineering real change in the present.
The Fourth Point: Signaling Commitment And Momentum
To me, the most important “fourth” element—beyond ordering ships, securing fuel, retrofitting vessels, or engaging regulation—is Maersk’s role as a catalyst for broader industrial alignment. In other words, Maersk isn’t merely adapting; it’s trying to shift the ecosystem around shipping.
By committing to dozens of methanol-capable ships, signing long-term supply deals, and forming ventures in green fuel production, Maersk is sending a powerful signal to shipyards, chemical producers, banks, ports, and regulators: this is not a niche experiment—it’s a direction.
For example, in September 2023, Maersk helped create a “green methanol” company alongside its majority owner, aiming to produce and scale supply. That vertical integration helps de-risk the value chain.
In May 2025, the first commercial-scale e-methanol plant opened in Denmark, able to make 42,000 metric tons annually using renewable energy and CO₂ capture. Maersk is a key customer for that new facility. That means Maersk isn’t simply waiting for someone else to scale green methanol—it’s helping make it happen.
This leadership role is vital. When a market giant like Maersk leans into a cleaner fuel, it invites others—competitors, suppliers, regulators—to follow. It becomes harder to argue that green methanol is “too speculative,” or “too small.” Over time, that tilt can shift risk perceptions, lower capital costs, and hasten adoption.
In a way, this fourth point is the hidden engine behind the press releases: Maersk is orchestrating alignment, not merely riding a green wave.
Real Stories, Real Hope
In March 2025, Maersk introduced its dual-fuel vessel, Adrian Mærsk, during a ceremony held in Rotterdam, where Nestlé participated as the vessel’s sponsor. The collaboration between the two global companies reflects a genuine commitment to sustainable logistics.
Nestlé now transports all its shipments with Maersk through the “ECO Delivery” initiative, which utilizes low-emission alternative fuels. This partnership has resulted in a significant environmental milestone, cutting greenhouse gas emissions by more than 80 percent compared to traditional shipping practices.
Such stories anchor the grand narrative in human terms: a consumer goods giant committing to net-zero logistics, a shipyard naming ceremony, a vessel christened to carry meaning as well as cargo.
And on sea trials, promising results emerge. In mid-2025, Maersk named its first 17,480-TEU methanol-powered containership, Berlin Mærsk, built at Hyundai Heavy Industries. It was slated to run on Asia-to-Europe routes, illustrating that methanol-capable vessels can be scaled for global backbone trades—not just short feeder runs.
At the same time, shipping as an industry remains “still at sea” in its transition. A June 2025 Reuters dispatch noted that while Maersk now has 13 dual-fuel (methanol + LNG) ships in operation, the struggle to align economics, regulation, and infrastructure persists.
Yet, for those who believe that climate action must be woven into industry, these shifts are filled with hope. A maritime sector responsible for around 3 % of global greenhouse gas emissions is quietly refitting its compass. If giants like Maersk can turn the inertia of oceans toward cleaner chemistry, then the ripple effects will spread to ports, shipyards, finance, and beyond.
Looking Ahead: Hope Under Sail
What comes next?
- Fuel Scale And Cost Breakthroughs: Green and bio-methanol today cost more than conventional fuels. If production is scaled, costs may fall enough to close the gap. The Danish e-methanol plant is a hopeful sign.
- Regulatory Clarity: If the IMO and national governments adopt firm pricing or incentives for low-emission fuels, the business case for methanol will strengthen.
- Fleet Transformation: More conversions of existing ships, more shipyards building dual-fuel designs, and innovation in hulls, propellers, routing, and wind assistance.
- Ecosystem Alignment: Ports will need methanol bunkering capabilities, financial institutions will need to reward lower-carbon assets, and supply chains must internalize emissions. Maersk’s leadership helps shape that.
In maritime circles, the shift to methanol is no longer ink on a concept sheet—it’s steel in the shipyard, deals in boardrooms, and fuel contracts in negotiation. The image at the start—a ship humming with cleaner fuels—is closer to reality than ever.
Even in a turbulent world, hope need not be naive. It can be engineered.
