Maersk Halifax, the first large vessel in the shipping industry to be converted into a dual-fuel ship capable of operating on methanol, has completed its retrofit.
The conversion took place over 88 days at the Zhoushan Xinya Shipyard in China, finishing at the end of October.
“We are happy to announce that Maersk Halifax successfully has been retrofitted into a dual-fuel methanol vessel. Following the completion of the sea trials, Maersk Halifax has returned to operation and is now servicing our customers on the Trans-Pacific trade,” stated Leonardo Sonzio, Head of Fleet Management and Technology at Maersk.
The engine retrofit was carried out by MAN Energy Solutions. In addition to modifying the engine to run on methanol, the operation involved the installation of new fuel tanks, a fuel preparation room, and a fuel supply system.
“Since we set the ambitious climate goal of reaching net zero emissions by 2040, we have explored the potential of retrofitting existing vessels with dual-fuel engines. In the coming year, we will take learnings from this first conversion of a large vessel. Retrofits of existing vessels can be an important alternative to new builds in our transition from fossil fuels to low-emission fuels,” mentioned Leonardo Sonzio, Head of Fleet Management and Technology at Maersk.
The ship’s hull was also extended by 15 meters to accommodate the new tanks, bringing its total length to 368 meters. As a result, the ship’s capacity increased from approximately 15,000 to 15,690 TEUs.
Maersk Halifax, part of Maersk’s Hong Kong-class fleet, departed the shipyard on 4 November.
