Maersk continues its fleet renewal plan by ordering 800,000 TEU dual-fuel vessels

The planned renewal rate of around 160,000 TEUs per year for the period 2026-2030
In continuation of its fleet renewal programme initiated in 2021, Maersk is in the process of signing newbuilding orders and time-charter contracts for dual-fuel vessels matching the planned renewal pace of around 160,000 TEU per year.
"Our fleet renewal programme is fundamental to maintaining competitive edge in our ocean business, and it is a cornerstone in decarbonising our operations," says Rabab Boulos, Chief Operating Officer, Maersk. "As the shipyard order books have been filling up quickly and lead time for vessel deliveries have increased significantly, we decided to place orders and charter contracts of 800,000 TEU (twenty-foot equivalent) dual-fuel vessels, which ensures a steady flow of needed capacity for our network for the years 2026-2030 while building a competitive toolkit."
The requested capacity will be a combination of owned and chartered capacity, Maersk says, to enable the company to maintain strong financial and operational flexibility while continuing to own a significant portion of its strategic tonnage. In line with Maersk’s commitment to decarbonisation and ensuring the long-term competitiveness of the fleet, Maersk has chosen a combination of methanol and liquefied natural gas dual-fuel propulsion systems.
“While green methanol is likely to become the most competitive and scalable pathway to decarbonisation in the short term, Maersk also foresees a multifuel future for the industry which includes liquified bio-methane. Once the vessels have been delivered, around 25 percent of the Maersk fleet will be equipped with dual-fuel engines."
Ahmed Hassan, Head of Asset Strategy & Strategic Partnerships, Maersk says: "These orders will not add to the overall capacity, and over time every vessel coming in will be replacing a scrapped vessel having reached end of life, ensuring that we maintain our fleet size at around 4.3 million TEU. By diversifying our fleet and fuel options, we gain the flexibility, knowledge, and experience to cater to a future with multiple fuel paths. We thank our partners for working with us to move the industry further towards enabling a future with decarbonised ocean transport."
(Source: Industrias Pesqueras)