COPENHAGEN: Danish shipping giant A.P. Moller-Maersk A/S said on Tuesday that it was speeding up plans for an environment-friendly fleet with the order of eight carbon-neutral container vessels, a pioneering project in the highly-polluting industry.
Maersk said in a statement that it would introduce the "groundbreaking" ocean-going vessels, capable of operating on carbon-neutral methanol, in the first quarter of 2024.
The ships, built by Hyundai Heavy Industries Co Ltd (HHI) and equipped with dual fuel engines, will be able to each transport 16,000 containers, and will account for about three percent of the company's fleet.
The deal with HHI includes an option for four more vessels in 2025.
According to Maersk, the new ships will enable the company to reduce its annual CO2 emissions by about one million tonnes.
Global maritime transport is more polluting than the aviation sector, according to the Higher Institute of Maritime Economics. It is responsible for 2.98% of global greenhouse gas emissions, 2018 figures from the International Maritime Organization show.
"The time to act is now, if we are to solve shipping's climate challenge," Maersk chief executive Soren Skou said in the statement.
