The Alette Maersk, the fourth dual-fuel vessel owned by global shipping company A.P. Møller – Mærsk A/S, underwent a naming ceremony near the Port of Los Angeles on Aug. 27.
The 350-meter vessel (nearly 1,150 feet), which can carry more than 16,500 TEUs, was built at HD Hyundai Heavy Industries in Ulsan, South Korea.
In a speech during the ceremony, Maersk CEO Vincent Clerc said that the vessel sailed all the way to Southern California from South Korea powered by green methanol, making her the first of its kind to call at a U.S. port.
Also, he said, since the ship’s engine is a dual fuel type, it can run on green methanol as well as traditional marine fuels. When running on green methanol, according to Maersk, it can save up to 280 tons of CO2 per day compared to a similar conventional vessel sailing on heavy fuels.
“We take great pride in our role as a first mover in our industry, and this vessel stands as both a beacon of hope for a sustainable future and a masterpiece of modern engineering and design,” Clerc remarked.
“This journey towards decarbonizing shipping and logistics is of paramount importance to A.P. Møller-Maersk,” he added. “Our near-term target is to transport at least 25% of our ocean cargo using low-emission fuels by 2030, with the ultimate goal of achieving net-zero emissions across the entire business by 2040.”
“This new and growing green fleet marks a new era and crucial first step toward a solution not only for the shipping industry,” he continued. “A step that may encourage and outline a path forward for other hard-to-abate sectors.”
Cleric remarked that in the coming years, the Alette Maersk and the company’s three other methanol-powered vessel are expected to be joined on the waters by more than 170 methanol vessels already ordered by other industry players.
And by 2030, he said, about 25% of Maersk’s fleet is expected to be equipped with dual-fuel, low emission engines.
Acting as the vessel’s godmother for the ceremony was Olympic snowboard athlete Chloe Kim, a gold medalist who was born in Long Beach, Calif. and raised in nearby Torrance. Her parents are originally from South Korea.
Among the others in attendance were Port of LA Executive Director Gene Seroka, and representatives from the Los Angeles Board of Harbor Commissioners, the L.A. City Council, the California Air Resources Board, the South Coast Air Quality Management District, the Pacific Maritime Association) and the Pacific Merchant Shipping Association.