Maersk Pioneers First US Ethanol Bunkering Operation
Maersk has successfully completed the first ship-to-ship commercial ethanol bunkering of a deep-sea container vessel in the United States. The operation involved the Tangier Maersk, a dual-fuel alcohol-enabled container vessel that used U.S.-produced corn ethanol as fuel.
The milestone is part of Maersk's broader efforts to explore multiple potential fuel pathways for the future of shipping. According to Ditlev Blicher, Maersk Regional President for North America, 'Achieving lower-emission logistics requires turning new technologies into practical, scalable solutions.'
Maersk says that the operation provided valuable insight into the operational, infrastructure, sourcing and supply chain considerations for using ethanol as a marine fuel. While ethanol benefits from an established production base, existing infrastructure and compatibility with alcohol-enabled vessel technology, scalable future fuel pathways will also depend on fuel availability, regulation and operational readiness across the maritime value chain.
The company says that this operation builds on previous ethanol trials aboard Laura Maersk and Antonia Maersk and reflects its continued commitment to exploring and advancing credible pathways to drive progress within the shipping industry's energy transition.