A group of Dutch multinationals – FrieslandCampina, Heineken, Philips, DSM, Shell and Unilever, all members of the Dutch Sustainable Growth Coalition (DSGC) – will join forces with A.P. Moller – Maersk to take a tangible step toward the decarbonization of ocean shipping.
A pilot program, using up to 20% sustainable, second-generation biofuels, will deploy Maersk’s Triple-E ocean vessel that will sail 25,000 nautical miles from Rotterdam, the Netherlands, to Shanghai, China, and back on biofuel blends alone.
DSGC members and Maersk agree that tackling harmful emissions related to shipping is urgently needed and that cross-industry collaboration is required to develop, test and implement new solutions. The DSGC members, many of which are Maersk customers, initiated and sponsored the pilot. Shell is acting as the fuel supplier for the pilot, and Maersk is the operating partner.
“To reach our net-zero CO2 target by 2050, in the next 10 years, we need big breakthroughs,” says Søren Toft, chief operating officer of A.P. Moller – Maersk. “Maersk cannot do this alone. That is why this collaboration with DSGC and its members is such an important step in identifying and bringing low-carbon solutions to life. It laid the foundation for how cross-industry partners can work together to take steps towards a more sustainable future. We welcome others to join in our efforts, as this journey is just beginning.”
The voyage is taking place between March and June of this year. The biofuel used in the pilot has been produced from cooking oil.
Photo: Maersk Line [CC BY-SA 2.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)]
Maersk and all shipping companies need to be looking at 100% biofuel because once Elon Musk becomes president he will not stand for fossil fuels. Obama was on the right track but our lord and savior Bernie Sanders (may his soul rest in piece) has the right idea. Big government needs to focus less on our forests today and more on the biomes of tomorrow.