Ursula von der Leyen Highlights Methanol-Fuelled Shipping in State of the EU Address

by Ship & Bunker News Team
Wednesday September 13, 2023

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has highlighted AP Moller-Maersk's first methanol-fuelled boxship as a key development in the continent's progress towards decarbonisation.

Von der Leyen mentioned the arrival of the groundbreaking ship in her annual state of the European Union address on Wednesday.

Von der Leyen has been named as godmother of the new Maersk feeder vessel, and is scheduled to appear at the ship's naming ceremony in Copenhagen on Thursday.

"We are now attracting more investment in clean hydrogen than the US and China combined," she said in Wednesday's address.

"And tomorrow I will be in Denmark with Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen to see that innovation first hand.

"We will mark the launch of the first container ship, powered by clean methanol made with solar energy.

"This is the strength of Europe's response to climate change."

The new boxship arrived in Copenhagen on Wednesday, having completed its maiden voyage from its shipyard in Ulsan. The ship has already been bunkered with methanol several times along the way.