- CMA CGM and Maersk announce a cooperative effort to reduce emissions in the sector
- Both companies acknowledge the need for future fuel options besides methanol and gas, and their collaboration aims to establish standards for green methanol vessels.
Shipping giants CMA CGM and Maersk have announced plans to collaborate on initiatives to reduce shipping industry emissions. Their efforts will include supporting the adoption of methanol as a fuel and conducting research into alternative fuels such as ammonia.
The maritime sector is currently challenged to determine which fuels and vessel technologies to embrace on a large scale to achieve the goal of net zero emissions by roughly the mid-century mark. Danish company Maersk has strongly emphasised “green methanol” and recently established a new company to produce this environmentally friendly fuel. On the other hand, French-based CMA CGM has been investing in gas-powered vessels and has placed orders for ships capable of using methanol.
Both CMA CGM and Maersk acknowledge that while methanol and gas represent the most developed fuel options at present, they anticipate that the future fuel landscape for shipping will incorporate other options that will need further development. Their partnership will involve establishing standards for operating ships powered by green methanol and expediting ports’ readiness for refuelling vessels with methanol.
Additionally, the companies will explore research into potential fuel alternatives like ammonia and novel vessel technologies. It’s worth noting that the shipping industry maintains that promising low-carbon fuels have not yet achieved the scale required to significantly reduce its carbon footprint, which currently contributes to approximately 3 per cent of global emissions.