MAN completes Maersk Halifax methanol retrofit

PrimeServ, MAN Energy Solutions’ after-sales division, has completed the world’s first retrofit of the engine of a very large container vessel, the Maersk Halifax, to dual fuel methanol operation. The 15,000 TEU vessel entered service in 2017 and was originally powered by an MAN B&W 8G95ME-C9.5 prime mover. The retrofit to an 8G95ME-LGIM Mk10.5 engine enables the Maersk Halifax to operate on green methanol, making it possible to reduce its CO2 emissions by 90%.

The retrofit also included an upgrade to the vessel’s engine-control system to MAN Energy Solutions’ latest Triton system. Following the completion of sea-trials, Maersk Halifax has returned to operation and is now operating on Maersk’s Trans-Pacific trade.

“Since we set the ambitious climate goal of reaching net zero emissions by 2040, we have explored the potential in retrofitting existing vessels with dual-fuel engines,“ said Leonardo Sonzio, head of fleet management and technology at Maersk. “In the coming year, we will take learnings from this first conversion of a large vessel. Retrofits of existing vessels can be an important alternative to newbuilds in our transition from fossil fuels to low-emission fuels.”

The Maersk Halifax retrofit is expected to serve as a blueprint for future retrofit projects and Maersk has already placed a preorder for MAN PrimeServ to convert an additional 10 vessels from its fleet to methanol operation.

“Retrofits are one of the five growth areas identified in MAN Energy Solutions’ ‘Moving Big Things To Zero’ strategy, enabling shipowners to drastically reduce CO2 emissions without having to commission newbuilds,” said Michael Petersen, senior vice president and head of PrimeServ Denmark. “Retrofitted engines are able to switch between fuels with minimal disruption, flexibility that is crucial for maintaining operational efficiency and reliability. At PrimeServ, we estimate that more than 4,000 existing marine engines have the potential to be converted to operation on green fuels like e-methanol and e-methane.”

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