Hapag-Lloyd is launching its Fleet Upgrade Program to reduce carbon emissions for its vessel fleet.
With the loading of the first retrofit propeller in the Port of Hamburg, the propeller, which has been optimised for energy efficiency by the German manufacturer MMG, will be installed on Hapag-Lloyd’s 7,500 TEU ‘Ningbo Express’ in Dubai in September.
Through the retrofitted propeller, the ship saves between 10 and 13 per cent fuel and CO2 emissions, depending on the sailing condition.
There are plans to equip at least 86 ships with the new and more efficient propellers. Concurrently, 36 vessels will receive a new, flow-optimised bulbous bow.
During the scheduled dry dock stays, a resistance-reducing coat of anti-fouling paint will be applied to all vessels on the part of the exterior hull beneath the waterline.
Most of the measures will be carried out by 2025.
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“We aim to be climate-neutral by 2045. To reach this goal, we have set ourselves the interim target of reducing the CO2 intensity of our own ships by 30 per cent already by 2030,” said Dr. Maximilian Rothkopf, COO of Hapag-Lloyd AG.
“To do so, we are investing in new future-proof ships while simultaneously focusing on making our existing fleet fit for the future. The Fleet Upgrade Program will boost the energy efficiency of the entire fleet.”
The investment volume of the Fleet Upgrade Program will be in the “three-digit million range,” Hapag-Lloyd notes.
The German firm made a €2 billion ($2 billion) order for 12 LNG ships in 2021.
