Maersk explores ethanol fuel to cut emissions and reduce reliance on China

New Delhi, Jan 12 (SocialNews.XYZ) Maersk is considering increasing its use of ethanol as a fuel as part of its efforts to cut carbon emissions and reduce dependence on China for green fuels.

In an interview with the Financial Times, Maersk CEO Vincent Clerc said the company is exploring ethanol as an alternative fuel because production is more evenly spread across countries.

He pointed out that while China dominates the market for fuels such as green methanol, the United States and Brazil are the world’s largest producers of ethanol.

Clerc said a more balanced supply of green fuels could help build wider global support for the energy transition.

He noted that if the benefits of green fuels are concentrated in one country, others may resist the shift.

However, if more countries see economic opportunities, they are more likely to support decarbonisation efforts.

The global shipping industry faces major challenges in reducing emissions, as it requires expensive upgrades to existing ships or the construction of new vessels capable of running on alternative fuels such as e-fuels derived from renewable energy.

These changes involve high costs and long-term investments. Maersk has been among the leaders in pushing for cleaner shipping solutions.

The Danish company has already invested heavily in methanol-powered vessels as part of its goal to achieve net-zero emissions by 2040.

It is also expanding beyond traditional container shipping into end-to-end logistics, including ports, warehousing, trucking and air freight.

Meanwhile, other shipping companies are also taking steps to cut emissions. Late last year, Hapag-Lloyd and North Sea Container Line won a tender to use low-emission fuels made from hydrogen on container ships starting from 2027 for at least three years.

The move aims to significantly reduce carbon dioxide emissions from shipping operations.

Source: IANS