Maersk Supply’s Fleet Starts Using Biofuel Offering Carbon Savings
Maersk Supply Service is becoming one of the first shipping companies to provide customers with the option to reduce carbon emissions by selecting a biofuel alternative. After extensive testing by many leading shipping companies, an increasing number are beginning to adopt biofuels as a near term easy-to-adopt alternative to reduce carbon emissions.
“We are delighted to be able to support our customers’ decarbonization journeys,” said Jonas Munch Agerskov, Chief Commercial Officer at Maersk Supply Service, the division of A.P. Moller – Maersk operating a large fleet of anchor handling and subsea support vessels for the offshore energy and now wind energy sectors. “Maersk Supply Service is committed to doing what we can to facilitate a green transition in the offshore industry, both by reducing our own carbon footprint and by enabling our customers to decarbonize their operations and value chain.”
Shipping companies are reporting that increasing customers are looking for environmentally-friendly options in all sectors of their operations. They are expecting service providers to offer green alternatives in the support services they are supplying.
Maersk Supply Service reports that in 2021 they successfully trialed biofuel aboard the anchor handler Maersk Tender. The vessel was operating in partnership with the Dutch green-tech start-up, The Ocean Cleanup. During an ocean-cleaning charter in the Pacific Ocean, biofuel was blended into the marine gasoil, leading to a carbon-emissions saving of 38.95 metric tonnes for the six-week charter. The trial confirmed that biofuel is a viable alternative that does not compromise on safety or performance, and does not require additional training or vessel upgrades.
In its new offering to customers, Maersk Supply Service will use Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO) blended with marine gasoil aboard its vessels. The company will use the biofuel blend across its global fleet which includes 35 vessels. They operate anchor-handling supply vessels, subsea support vessels, and platform supply vessels. Customers will have the option of purchasing a new product, ECO Offshore, which passes the carbon reductions to customers.
The introduction of is one several steps the company is taking to reduce its emissions. Earlier this year they completed the conversion of one of their anchor handlers with the installation of a hybrid battery power system. The batteries permit the engines to run at optimal load and Maersk further reduced the vessel’s emissions by fitting a Selective Catalyst Reduction (SCR) system to the exhaust. The company said that it believes the Maersk Minder which received the upgrades became the world’s first hybrid-electric anchor handler.