Hapag-Lloyd, Seaspan complete 1st methanol retrofit

Photo: Hapag-Lloyd

Hapag-Lloyd, one of the top five global container lines, and Seaspan Corp., a global leader in maritime asset ownership and management, have recently completed the first conversion under their joint methanol retrofit program.

With delivery of the Seaspan Yangtze, the first of five 10,100 20-foot equivalent unit (TEU) charter vessels, has been upgraded from a conventional MAN S90 engine to a dual-fuel engine capable of operating on methanol.

The conversion marks an important milestone in the strategic collaboration between Hapag-Lloyd, Seaspan and Everllence.

The program also covers Seaspan Amazon, Seaspan Ganges, Seaspan Thames and Seaspan Zambezi.

The overall investment for the five retrofits is estimated at around $120 million.

“Retrofitting existing vessels is an important lever on our way to decarbonize our fleet operations by 2045,” said Silke Lehmköster, the managing director of fleets at Hapag-Lloyd.

“The successful conversion of the Seaspan Yangtze shows that technical innovation and close cooperation with strong partners can make proven vessels ready for the use of low-carbon fuels,” Lehmköster added. “For our customers, this is another concrete step towards more sustainable supply chains.”

Each conversion can reduce CO2e emissions by approximately 30,000 metric tons to 50,000 metric tons per vessel per year when operating on low-carbon methanol.

In addition to supporting emissions reductions, the project extends the operational use of existing vessels and increases fuel flexibility.

Hapag-Lloyd is pursuing its sustainability strategy through several levers, including newbuilds, dual-fuel retrofits, efficiency improvements in the existing fleet and the sourcing of alternative fuels.

The conversion of the Seaspan Yangtze demonstrates the role that existing ships can play in the transition towards low-carbon shipping.