3% of Maersk's Cargo Shipments Powered by Green Fuels in 2023

The company has set a target of 25% of its shipments using green fuels by 2030. Image Credit: AP Moller-Maersk

Global container line and logistics company AP Moller-Maersk saw an increase in the number of containers it shipped using green fuels last year.

Green fuels powered 3% of the company's container shipments in 2023, up from 2% the previous year, according to the firm's latest sustainability report.

The company has set a target of 25% of its shipments using green fuels by 2030. Maersk defines green fuels as those delivering at least 65% life cycle GHG reductions compared to fossil fuels.

The increase last year was mostly driven by higher consumption of biofuel bunker blends. But the company has also started to take delivery of methanol-fuelled ships, with one 2,100 TEU feeder vessel and two 16,000 TEU ships now in operation, and the consumption from these vessels should deliver another rise in 2024.

"Maersk continues working hard on securing the volumes of green methanol and other green fuels needed to reach our 2030 and 2040 targets through a large portfolio of green fuel suppliers," the company said in the report.

"Technologies are being developed to enable more scalable and competitive methods of producing biofuels, green methanol (biomethanol and e-methanol) and green ammonia, and Maersk continues to explore potential future fuels.

"Ammonia is one promising fuel we are investigating for Maersk vessels.

"Substantial groundwork and R&D have been conducted, and Maersk is facilitating a comprehensive assessment of the environmental impacts of using ammonia as a shipping fuel with various industry partners."