Maersk Partners with 50 Shipowners to Modernize 200 Chartered Vessels, Targeting Lower Costs and Emissions

A.P. Moller - Maersk (Maersk) is rolling out a large-scale program to modernize approximately 200 vessels in its time-chartered fleet, working in close collaboration with the shipowners.

Maersk-vessel

Maersk vessel (Photo: Maersk / Phaata)

The primary objective of the program, which involves 50 different tonnage providers, is to reduce the cost per container slot by improving fuel efficiency and enhancing cargo-carrying capacity. This will lead to a reduction in both operational expenses and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

Ahmed Hassan, Maersk’s Head of Asset Strategy & Strategic Partnering, noted that the company's medium and long-term chartered fleet accounts for a significant share of its operations and total fuel consumption.

“By working closely with our partners, we aim to implement solutions that not only reduce emissions but also enhance the overall competitiveness of our fleet,” Hassain said..

Maersk has set a target for an absolute 35% reduction in its scope 1 GHG emissions by 2030, compared to a 2022 baseline.

“While fuel transition is needed to reach our long-term goal of net-zero emissions by 2040, investments in existing fleet efficiency enhancement technologies are a powerful tool to gain significant emissions reductions in the short term,” Hassan explained.

He added, “Consequently, this strong emphasis on efficiency measures can deliver tangible progress towards our 2030 goal. That goes for owned as well as chartered vessels.”

In total, Maersk and its charter partners have undertaken over 1,500 individual projects across 200 vessels from 50 shipowners, with an additional 1,000 projects in the pipeline, slated for completion by 2027. The investment costs for these solutions are shared between Maersk and the vessel owners.

“We have, from experience, found that this model is a win-win. At Maersk, we can reduce both emissions and fuel costs, while the owners get the long-term value of a modernised vessel,” Hassan shared.

“Fleet renewal is often seen as new vessels replacing the old, but it is also about ensuring your existing vessels keep their competitive edge,” he said.

Given the project's scale, the solutions are being applied across a diverse range of vessel sizes and configurations, meaning the modernization tools are equally varied.

Among the roughly 200 upgraded vessels, a key structural modification is the replacement of the propeller or the bulbous bow. Integrating an optimally designed bulbous bow reshapes the water flow around the hull to reduce drag and enhance hydrodynamic performance—ultimately cutting fuel consumption. Meanwhile, replacing the propeller in conjunction with pre-swirl devices helps to maximize thrust while minimizing energy loss.

Anda Cristescu, Head of Chartering & Newbuildings at Maersk, mentioned that many of these ships were built at a time when container vessels generally operated at higher speeds.

“To bring down fuel consumption, we have, over the years, introduced less compressed vessel schedules, but the propellers and bulbs optimised for faster speeds have been kept. There lies a big efficiency potential in replacing them,” she said.

Other modernization solutions, such as waste heat recovery systems for auxiliary engines, enable steam production from engine heat, reducing reliance on oil-fired boilers. Similarly, installing shaft generator systems cuts down the use of auxiliary engines, contributing to significant fuel savings.

Cargo carrying capacity is also being enhanced through a series of structural and technical improvements: raising the navigation bridge to improve visibility and increase stowage capacity, elevating lashing bridges, reinforcing the vessel's scantling to allow for a deeper draft, and upgrading both the lashing system and the functionality of the loading computer.

See more: