A ship that Maersk is calling the world’s first large methanol-enabled container vessel was named Ane Mærsk during a late-January ceremony in the shipyard of HD Hyundai Heavy Industries in Ulsan, South Korea.
The vessel is named after Ane Mærsk Mc-Kinney Uggla, the chair of the A.P. Moller Foundation and A.P. Moller Holding. Ane’s eldest granddaughter served as godmother and christened the vessel by breaking a champagne bottle over the bow.
The Ane Mærsk is the first of Maersk’s 18 large methanol-enabled vessels that’s scheduled to be delivered between 2024 and 2025 and is the world’s second methanol-enabled container vessel, according to Maersk.
The vessels in the new series have an industry-first innovative design with the bridge and accommodation placed at the very front of the vessel, which ensures fuel efficient operations.
“This series of vessels will have a transformative impact on our ambition to progress on our industry-leading climate ambitions,” A.P. Moller-Maersk CEO Vincent Clerc said. “It is a visual and operational proof of our commitment to a more sustainable industry. With Ane Mærsk and her sister vessels, we are expanding our offer to the growing number of businesses aiming to reduce emissions from their supply chains.”
The Ane Mærsk was scheduled to enter service in early February on the AE7 string connecting Asia and Europe, marking a milestone in the company’s commitment to low-emissions shipping solutions.
The vessel began her maiden voyage on green1 methanol. Maersk said that it continues to work diligently on 2024-2025 sourcing and bunkering solutions for its methanol-enabled vessel fleet.