Denmark-based Ørsted and Esvagt have sealed a deal for a second green fuels service operation vessel (SOV).
This second unit is a sister vessel to the methanol-powered service operation vessel and will be ready for launch in 2026, where it will operate out of Ørsted’s UK East Coast Hub on a 10-year contract.
The new SOV ship will be powered by dual fuel engines, capable of sailing on renewable e-methanol produced from renewable energy and biogenic carbon.
In accordance with the company´s estimations, this will lead to a yearly carbon emissions reduction of about 4,500 tonnes.
Ørsted has set a target to become carbon-neutral in its energy generation and own operations by 2025, and the additional, second green fuel SOV will build on that, as Ørsted works towards its science-based target of reaching net-zero emissions across the full value chain by 2040.
The company Ørsted has a “rich portfolio” of green fuel projects, three of which focus on producing e-methanol for maritime transport.
Its portfolio includes FlagshipONE in Sweden, which is under construction and which will produce 50,000 tonnes of e-methanol per year from 2025.
Additional projects include ‘Project Star’ on the US Gulf Coast, which will supply 300,000 tonnes of e-methanol for A.P. Moller – Maersk’s fleet of zero-emissions vessels, and the ‘Green Fuels for Denmark’ project in Copenhagen, where Ørsted is working with major Danish players in heavy transport, including shipping.
Mark Porter, head of operations Europe at Ørsted, noted that Ørsted will continue to look for the best green alternatives to fossil fuels.
“E-methanol is a strong match for our SOVs, and we’re very pleased that we, along with Esvagt, will soon welcome the second methanol-powered vessel to our fleet,” he said.
