Hong Kong – Seaspan Corporation, the leading independent maritime asset owner and operator, and Hapag-Lloyd, one of the largest container shipping lines in the world, have entered into a partnership agreement to retrofit and convert five (5) 10,000 TEU containerships powered by conventional S90 engines to dual-fuel engines capable of running on methanol.
Following the engine retrofit, the vessels will be on long-term charter from Seaspan to Hapag-Lloyd. The vessels scheduled for retrofits are the Seaspan Amazon, Seaspan Ganges, Seaspan Thames (per photo), Seaspan Yangtze, and Seaspan Zambezi.
Retrofitting constitutes a necessary and major component of emissions abatement, and it is an effective way to extend the operational lifetime of the existing fleet while delivering fuel flexibility to customers. MAN Energy Solutions will deliver the retrofit solutions, and each conversion can result in a CO2 reduction of 50,000 –70,000 tonnes each year when operating on green methanol.
Torsten Holst Pedersen, Chief Operating Officer of Seaspan, commented, “This project signifies the collaborative spirit of the marine industry to advance decarbonization by improving the performance of in-service conventional vessels. Retrofitting existing vessels is a critical lever in global decarbonization efforts. Not only do we transition to greener fuels, but we save the additional resources needed to build new vessels.”
(Photo from Seaspan Corporation)
