In a large-scale program involving 50 shipowners, AP Moller-Maersk, in close collaboration with them, is modernizing around 200 ships from its time-chartered fleet.
The main objective is to reduce slot costs by improving fuel efficiency and load capacity, which translates into a reduction in both costs and greenhouse gas emissions.
“Our medium and long-term chartered fleet represents a significant proportion of our operations, as well as total fuel consumption. Working closely with our partners, we seek to implement solutions that not only reduce emissions but also improve the overall competitiveness of our fleet,” stated Ahmed Hassan, Head of Asset Strategy and Strategic Partnerships at Maersk.
Maersk set a target of an absolute 35% reduction in its scope 1 greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 compared to the base year 2022.
“While the fuel transition is necessary to reach our long-term goal of net zero emissions by 2040, investing in efficiency-enhancing technologies for the existing fleet is a powerful tool to achieve significant emission reductions in the short term. Consequently, this strong emphasis on these measures can generate tangible progress towards our 2030 target. This applies to both owned and chartered vessels,” added Hassan.
In total, Maersk and its time charter partners have executed more than 1,500 individual projects on 200 vessels with 50 shipowners, and another thousand projects are in the process of execution and are scheduled for completion by 2027. The investment cost of these solutions is split between the company and the shipowners.
“Experience has shown us that this model is beneficial for everyone. At Maersk, we can reduce both emissions and fuel costs, while shipowners get the long-term value of a modernized vessel. Fleet renewal is often conceived as replacing old ships with new ones, but it also involves ensuring that existing ships maintain their competitiveness,” Hassan added.
Given the scale of the project, it covers very different vessels in terms of size and configurations, which also means that the modernization tools used vary.
Of the approximately 200 vessels being modernized, a common and significant configuration change is the replacement of the propeller or the bulbous bow. Integrating an optimally designed bulbous bow modifies the water flow around the hull to reduce resistance and improve hydrodynamic efficiency, which in turn reduces fuel consumption. Furthermore, replacing the propellers, along with pre-swirl devices, plays a crucial role in maximizing thrust and minimizing energy loss.
“Many of these ships were designed and built at a time when container ships, in general, sailed at higher speeds. To reduce fuel consumption, over the years we have introduced more flexible ship schedules, but the propellers and bulbs optimized for higher speeds have been retained.
“Its substitution presents a great potential for efficiency,” explained Anda Cristescu, Director of Chartering and Newbuilding at Maersk.
Other modernization solutions, such as auxiliary engine waste heat recovery systems, allow for steam production, thereby reducing the dependency on fuel oil boilers. Similarly, the installation of shaft generator systems reduces the use of the second propeller, which contributes to significant fuel savings.
Cargo carrying capacity is also being optimized through a series of structural and technical improvements, raising the wheelhouse to improve the line of sight and increase the entrance, raising the mooring bridges, strengthening the vessel’s deadweight capacity for deeper drafts, and updating both the mooring systems and the functionalities of the load computer.
