Hapag-Lloyd and Seaspan Corporation have completed the first conversion of their joint methanol conversion program, with the delivery of the ship "Seaspan Yangtze". The 10,100 TEU container ship, chartered by Hapag-Lloyd and owned by Seaspan, has been adapted from a conventional MAN S90 engine to a dual-fuel engine capable of operating on methanol.
The operation is the first of five conversions planned as part of the strategic collaboration between Hapag-Lloyd, Seaspan Corporation, and Everllence. The other four ships included in the program are the "Seaspan Amazon", the "Seaspan Ganges", the "Seaspan Thames", and the "Seaspan Zambezi". The total estimated investment for the entire program amounts to about $120 million.
Silke Lehmköster, general director of Hapag-Lloyd Fleet, valued the operation in the following terms: "The conversion of existing ships is an important lever in our path towards the decarbonization of fleet operations by 2045. The successful conversion of the Seaspan Yangtze demonstrates that technical innovation and close cooperation with solid partners can prepare established ships for the use of low-carbon fuels. For our customers, this is another concrete step towards more sustainable supply chains."
According to data provided by the company, each conversion can reduce CO2 equivalent emissions by approximately between 30,000 and 50,000 metric tons per ship per year when operating on low-carbon methanol. In addition to contributing to emission reductions, the program extends the operational life of existing ships and increases flexibility in fuel use.
Hapag-Lloyd's sustainability strategy includes several lines of action: the construction of new ships, dual-fuel conversions, efficiency improvements in the current fleet, and sourcing alternative fuels. The ultimate goal is to achieve fleet operations with net-zero emissions by 2045.
