A.P. Møller–Maersk has officially launched the Laura Maersk, the world’s first container ship to operate on green methanol, marking a watershed moment in maritime decarbonization. The 172-metre vessel, capable of carrying 2,100 TEU of containers, sailed from its South Korean shipyard to the Port of Copenhagen under green methanol power for its inaugural voyage.
The Laura Maersk is the first of an order of 25 large methanol-fuelled vessels Maersk has ordered from various shipyards. Together, these ships represent a total investment of $14 billion in green shipping technology.
Methanol, when produced using renewable energy (green methanol), produces approximately 95% less CO₂ than conventional marine fuel oil. Maersk has secured supply agreements for green methanol from producers in Chile, Egypt, and the United States.
“We are not just launching a ship. We are launching a new era of shipping,” said Maersk CEO Vincent Clerc. The company aims to have a carbon-neutral fleet by 2040, a decade ahead of the International Maritime Organization’s original target.
