Halland Welcomes World’s First Methanol-Powered Container Ship

It’s a historic day for Port of Halland as Maersk’s innovative container vessel, Laura Maersk, arrives in Halmstad, Halland. The ship, powered by green methanol, operates along the route Bremerhaven – Helsingborg – Halmstad – Fredericia – Kalundborg.

Sustainable Partnership

This partnership not only provides a unique opportunity for the region’s businesses to embrace a sustainable and efficient logistics solution but also represents a significant milestone for Port of Halland and the region’s overall sustainability efforts.

Green Ambitions

”A.P. Møller – Maersk aims to reach net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2040, and we are pleased to collaborate with Port of Halland in Halmstad. Our partners help us achieve our ambitious green goals, offering our customers a door-to-door service that aids them in reducing their environmental impact along their value chains. Solving this task cannot be done alone, and we need strong partners for the maritime industry’s green transformation to succeed on time”, says Birna Odefors, Nordic Managing Director at A.P. Møller – Mærsk.

Investing in Sustainability

To continue promoting eco-friendly maritime transport through its docks, Port of Halland has made substantial investments in its machinery and vehicle fleets, along with railway-related infrastructure projects taking place in and around the port. It’s important to note that all trucks and cranes at the port are currently powered by eco-friendly fuel, HVO.

”Sustainability is at the heart of our strategy,” says Henrik Nanfeldt, Production Manager at Port of Halland. Welcoming Maersk and their methanol-powered vessels aligns perfectly with our sustainability efforts. It also shows that the maritime industry’s transition is gaining momentum and places demands on us at the port to actively reduce our carbon footprint and meet our customers’ needs for sustainable logistics solutions. At HallandsHamnar, we do this, for instance, by investing in electrifying our machinery and vehicle fleet and by utilizing solar energy at our facilities.

Fact: Sustainability initiatives at Port of Halland

• For their container operations in Halmstad, Port of Halland has invested in a hybrid-powered crane.
• Since 2022, all trucks and cranes run on eco-friendly fuel, HVO, which has reduced the port’s carbon emissions by 80 percent.
• To facilitate the upcoming transition to a completely electric vehicle and machinery fleet, new charging infrastructure is being developed at the port.
• A significant effort is being made to promote environmentally friendly port operations with a focus on electric machinery. The goal is for 50 percent of the vehicle and machinery fleet to be electric by 2030.
• Port of Halland is increasing its self-produced solar energy, a project that will expand in alignment with other investments.

Fact: Laura Maersk

• Laura Maersk is a container vessel stretching over 172 meters in length and 32 meters in width. Its gross tonnage is 25,750 GRT.
• What sets this ship apart is its fuel versatility, as its main engine can run on both methanol and diesel.
• Laura Maersk has a total capacity of 2100 TEU.