The Shell energy group and Hapag-Lloyd have signed a multi-year agreement on the supply of liquefied natural gas (LNG) as a fuel for the Hamburg shipping company’s large container ships. Bunkering for the twelve new ships with a capacity of more than 23,500 standard containers (TEU) is expected to begin in Rotterdam in the second half of the year, Hapag-Lloyd announced on Monday. The ultra-large dual-fuel container ships are to be used in the Europe-Far East trades and call at major ports such as Rotterdam, Hamburg, Singapore and Shanghai. According to the information, Shell has 15 LNG bunker facilities in ten countries.
According to Hapag-Lloyd, the use of LNG reduces CO2 emissions by up to 23 percent compared to operation with conventional fuels. In addition, particle emissions were almost completely eliminated. Hapag-Lloyd wants to be climate neutral by 2045. With a fleet of 252 container ships and a total transport capacity of almost 1.8 million TEU, Hapag-Lloyd is currently the fifth largest liner shipping company in the world.
According to Shell and Hapag-Lloyd, they have also agreed on a strategic partnership to accelerate the decarbonization of alternative marine fuels. The focus is on liquefied biomethane and liquefied and hydrogen-based e-methane. Liquefied biomethane has the potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 65 to 100 percent.
