At a ceremony held in Yokohama, Japan, the world's second largest methanol-powered container ship was christened "Astrid Mærsk". Mrs Liza Uchida, wife of Nissan CEO Makoto Uchida, acted as godmother and christened the vessel.

"Astrid Mærsk" is the second of Maersk's 18 large methanol vessels, scheduled for delivery between 2024 and 2025. This new series of fleets is expected to make a significant contribution to Maersk's net-zero emissions objectives and help customers achieve their decarbonization targets.

Vincent Clerc, Chairman and CEO of A.P. Moller - Maersk, said: "We are truly delighted to welcome 'Astrid Mærsk' to our new fleet capable of sailing on green methanol. With this vessel and its sister ships, Maersk is taking an important step towards the energy transition of shipping.

Maersk christens its first methanol-powered vessel "Ane Maersk

"No one can do it alone. To build green supply chains and accelerate shipping's transition to carbon neutrality, it's essential that dedicated customers like Nissan, industry peers and suppliers continue to act courageously.

"Importantly, to maintain momentum, it is necessary for the International Maritime Organization (IMO) to adopt global regulations to close the price gap between fossil fuels and green fuels to ensure a level playing field."

The naming ceremony took place at the Daikoku Pier Cruise Terminal in the city of Yokohama, where the public could also sign up and climb aboard for a tour of the ship.

Yokohama occupies a special place in Maersk's history. Since the first ship call at the port of Yokohama a century ago, when they collaborated with many of the city's partners and stakeholders.

Toru Nishiyama, Maersk's Managing Director for Northeast Asia, said, "Today's ceremony symbolizes our enduring relationship with Yokohama and Japan as a whole. As we embark on our 'All the Way to Zero' journey, the support and partnership of the Japanese community is invaluable.

"We will continue to prioritize our efforts to minimize the environmental and climate impact of our activities while promoting economic growth and prosperity in the region."

Maersk has set itself a scientific target of zero net greenhouse gas emissions for 2040 across all its activities, and has also established tangible and ambitious short-term targets for 2030 to ensure significant progress.

The company will equip 25 of its container ships with bi-fuel engines capable of running on green methanol.

TLME