The Zero Emission Maritime Buyers Alliance (ZEMBA) has selected Hapag-Lloyd and North Sea Container Line (NCL) as winners of its second tender aimed at accelerating the uptake of scalable e-fuels in container shipping.
Under the programme, Hapag-Lloyd will deploy e-methanol on large dual-fuel container ships operating on a trans-oceanic route, while NCL will introduce what it says will be the world’s first e-ammonia-powered container ship on a Northern European trade lane.
Both fuels will be produced using low-carbon hydrogen derived from renewable energy.
ZEMBA said current member commitments would enable around 20 billion tonne-nautical miles of freight activity over three years, with some members extending to five years, resulting in the abatement of at least 120,000 metric tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions from 2027.
“We applaud Hapag-Lloyd and North Sea Container Line’s leadership, collaboration, and innovation, as well as the quality of their offerings in response to ZEMBA’s pioneering market signal,” said Ingrid Irigoyen, President and CEO of ZEMBA.
“At a time when sourcing scalable e-fuels remains a major challenge for the entire industry, winning the second ZEMBA tender is a significant milestone for us,” said Rolf Habben Jansen, CEO of Hapag-Lloyd.
NCL CEO Bente Hetland said the award reaffirmed the company’s commitment to “shaping the future of sustainable logistics” and accelerating the shift towards next-generation maritime fuels.
