Maersk takes delivery of methanol-fuelled newbuild

Danish shipping company A.P. Moller Maersk took delivery of a new ultra-large containership (ULCS) in a ceremony at the Port of Aarhus on Friday, August 9.

Antonia Mærsk belongs to a new series of large methanol-enabled ships that will be delivered to Maersk between 2024 and 2025 following construction at South Korea's HD Hyundai Heavy Industries. This is in line with the company's goal of reducing emissions during operations with a target of achieving "net zero" greenhouse gas emissions by 2040.

As with earlier sister Ane Mærsk, Antonia Mærsk has a length of 350 metres, a beam of 53.5 metres, a draught of 18 metres, capacity for 16,592 TEUs, and accommodation for 30 crewmembers. It also boasts an innovative design with the funnel taking up minimal space at the stern and the bridge and the accommodation block placed well forward to ensure fuel-efficient operations and to maximise cargo capacity.

The ship is powered by a Hyundai-MAN B&W 8G95ME-C10.5-LGIM-EGRTC eight-cylinder, dual-fuel engine with a rated output of 44,187 kW, delivering a service speed of 21 knots. The engine can also run on traditional marine fuel in addition to methanol, ensuring operational flexibility.

Two methanol fuel tanks located forward of the engine room and with a total capacity of 16,000 cubic metres will allow the vessel to sail up to 23,000 nautical miles. Also, the ship's operation on methanol can help reduce emissions of CO2 by as much as 280 tonnes per day compared to a similar-sized vessel running on heavy fuel oil.