Great Ships of 2024: Ane Mærsk - World’s First Large Methanol-Fueled Containership

When talk turns to fuel transition in the maritime sector, the conversation usually starts with: ‘yes, change is happening, but the majority of the world fleet continues to operate as it always has; with diesel fuel’ and ends with ‘change is being driven by a handful of pioneers: the big companies.’
Enter Danish shipping giant A.P. Moller - Mærsk, one of the biggest and most innovative companies operating ships globally today, and its world’s first large methanol-enabled container vessel dubbed Ane Mærsk, delivered earlier this year from HD Hyundai Heavy Industries (HD HHI) in Ulsan, South Korea. Ane Mærsk is Maritime Reporter & Engineering News’ ‘Great Ship of 2024.’

The vessel is named after Ane Mærsk Mc-Kinney Uggla, the Chair of the A.P. Moller Foundation and A.P. Moller Holding. Ane’s eldest granddaughter served as godmother and christened the vessel.

Ane Mærsk is equipped with a dual-fuel HYUNDAI-MAN B&W 8G95ME-C10.5-LGIM-EGRTC main engine, able to generate 44,187 kW.

Its methanol fuel capacity is 16,000 cu. m. in two tanks beside each other, located forward of the engine room, and it can sail up to 23,000 nautical miles on methanol corresponding to 41,400 km (1 nautical mile = 1,8 km) when fully bunkered. Both the main engine and the four auxiliary engines – HiMSEN H32DF-LM (3 x 9 cylinders each 4320 kW + 1 x 6 cylinders 2880 kW) – are dual fuel, meaning they can run on methanol as well as traditional marine fuels.

In addition, Ane Mærsk and her sister ships have an industry-first innovative design with the bridge and accommodation placed at the very front of the vessel, allowing more cargo to be carried and reducing the consumption per container.

Ane Mærsk began her maiden voyage on green methanol and the company continues to work on sourcing bunkering solutions for its methanol-enabled vessel fleet, the classic ‘chicken and egg’ scenario most often cited as a challenge when it comes to owning and operating new tonnage operating on alternative fuels.

Ane Mærsk is the first of Mærsk’s 18 large methanol-enabled vessels, that will be delivered between 2024 and 2025, and it is the world’s second methanol-enabled container vessel.

Image courtesy A.P. Moller - Mærsk

• Ane Mærsk Main Particulars
  Shipyard:Hyundai Heavy Industries, South Korea.
  Length: 350 m
  Breadth: 53.5 m
  Speed: 21 knots
  Container capacity: 16,592 TEU
  Main engine: HYUNDAI-MAN B&W  G95ME-C10.5-LGIM-EGRTC, 8 cylinders, 44,187 kW
  Auxiliary engines: 4 x HiMSEN H32DF-LM
  Shaft generator: Wärtsilä [4 MW]
  Methanol fuel capacity: 16,000 m3 in two tanks
  
  Note: The vessel can sail up to 23,000 nautical miles on methanol corresponding to 41,400 km (1 nautical mile = 1,8 km) when fully bunkered. The engine is a Dual Fuel type, meaning it can run on methanol as well as traditional marine fuels. The same applies to the auxiliary engines.