CMA CGM has signed up a series of containerships for a methanol dual-fuel revamp in China, joining the likes of Maersk, COSCO and Hapag-Lloyd.
The French carrier has earmarked its conventionally-fuelled 9,300 teu ships for the project at CSSC Qingdao Beihai Shipbuilding.
The world’s third-largest liner ordered its first six methanol-powered boxships at Dalian Shipbuilding Industry (DSIC) in 2022, which was followed by a dozen newbuilds at South Korea’s Hyundai Samho, six at Jiangnan Shipyard and eight more units at Shanghai Waigaoqiao Shipbuilding.
The Rodolphe Saadé-led CMA CGM recently signed a deal with Abu Dhabi-based renewable energy company Masdar to explore long-term green shipping fuel offtake contracts. The cooperation will facilitate the deployment of CMA CGM’s new generation of dual-fuel ships ready to use biofuels and e-fuels based on methane and methanol, of which 35 are currently in fleet and 84 in order.
In 2023, methanol became a popular alternative fuel option for ships, with around the same number of orders being received as for those that could run on LNG.
Maersk and Germany’s MAN Energy Solutions set the ball rolling on methanol in June 2023 for the first engine conversion in the middle of 2024. The duo also has a deal in place for the retrofit of the G95 main engines aboard 11 Maersk boxships to dual-fuel.
Seaspan, the world’s largest boxship lessor, and German liner Hapag-Lloyd contracted with MAN in July of the same year for 15 methanol dual-fuel engine retrofits, with options for 45 more projects.
COSCO Shipping also committed a series of its containerships for a methanol dual-fuel conversion at the COSCO Group shipyard, with MAN and Finnish marine technology provider Wartsila selected to provide engines for the project.
