Danish A.P. Moller – Maersk shipping group and the Chinese developer Goldwind, a global leader in clean energy, have sealed the first large scale green methanol offtake agreement for the global shipping industry.
The long-term offtake deal for annual volumes of 500.000 MT, with the first volumes expected in 2026, allows Maersk low carbon operations for the first 12 large methanol-enabled vessels on order.
The volumes combine a mix of green bio-methanol and e-methanol, all produced utilising wind energy at a new production facility in Hinggan League, Northeast China, around 1000 km northeast of Beijing with production expected to begin in 2026.
With this signed offtake agreement Goldwind expects to confirm a final investment decision for the facility by the end of the year.
Rabab Raafat Boulos, chief infrastructure officer at A.P. Moller – Maersk, said: “This deal is a milestone for Maersk as it enables us to significantly reduce our emissions footprint in this decade and stay aligned with the 1.5-degree Celsius trajectory as set out in the Paris Agreement, ensuring continued supply of low carbon shipping services to our customers in the second half of this decade.”
“We are encouraged by the agreement because its scale and price confirm our view that green methanol currently is the most viable low-emission solution for ocean shipping that can make a significant impact in this decade. The deal is a testament to the momentum and vast efforts we see among ambitious developers driving projects forward across geographies, however, we still have a long way to go in ensuring a global green fuels market that can enable the decarbonisation of global shipping.”
Wu Gang, chairman of Goldwind, noted that “Goldwind respects Maersk as a pioneer in the field of maritime green fuel and we are excited to jointly promote the green transition with Maersk. With this project, Goldwind will continue to explore the innovative application of new technologies, pursue the organic combination of green electricity and green fuel production, and optimize the production process of green methanol.”
“Goldwind is committed to collaborating with companies involved in the green methanol industry, with the aim to make green methanol one of the most important and economically feasible clean maritime fuels in the future.”
