First Large Containership Methanol Conversion Completed for Maersk Halifax

Maersk containership converted to methanol — Ceremonies marked the compleition of the methanol conversion of Maersk Halifax (Photo courtesy of Zhoushan Maritime Safety Administration )

Ceremonies were conducted in China on October 29 marking the completion of the conversion of the Maersk Halifax into a dual-fuel methanol vessel. It is being hailed as a landmark in the effort toward green shipping as it becomes the first large, in-service vessel converted for methanol operations.

The work was completed at the Zhoushan Yatai Ship Engineering and Repair Co. where the vessel arrived in July, although work had begun with steel cutting in March 2024 after the 2023 contract signing. The shipyard prefabricated sections to speed the conversion time which is reported as lasting 236 days.

The modification project is reported to have involved the modification of the main engine, the installation of methanol tanks, and the lengthening of the overall lengthening of the ship. Built in 2017 in South Korea as the Maersk Honam, the vessel was a casualty in 2018 but rebuilt and returned to service renamed Maersk Halifax. Prior to the methanol conversion, the vessel was listed as 1,158 feet (352 meters) in length with a capacity of 15,226 TEU. The Chinese reports are saying the vessel is now 1,204 feet (367 meters) and Maersk lists the vessel with a nominal TEU capacity of 15,262.

“Retrofitting a MAN B&W engine to dual-fuel running is straightforward as our standard, electronically-controlled ME-C diesel engines are constructed as ‘dual-fuel ready’ and therefore readily retrofittable,” commented Klaus Rasmussen, Head of Projects and PVU Sales at MAN PrimeServ, when the contract was announced in June 2023.

Maersk noted however that it faced space challenges for the project which involves adding a new fuel line for methanol alongside the traditional fuel line. Alfa Laval provided the fuel supply system. Chengxi Walxin Special Coatings Co., a division of CSSC, applied a special inorganic zinc coating for the methanol tank which it reported is 2,800 square meters.

The vessel was reportedly fueled with methanol in mid-October. The Maritime and Safety Administrated listed the vessel as undergoing sea trials between October 16 and 20. Maersk’s online systems reflect the vessel as departed Shanghai on November 5 and making stops in China and South Korea before crossing the Pacific to APM Terminals Lazaro Cardenas in Mexico.

Maersk previously said it would continue the retrofit project to other ships of the class. They are planning a conversion on a sister ship timed to a special survey due in 2027.

Other major carriers including COSCO, CMA CGM, and Seaspan working with Hapag-Lloyd have announced plans for similar methanol fuel conversions. Work began last week at Shanghai COSCO Shipping Heavy Industry for the first project on a 20,000 TEU COSCO containership. This project is being promoted as another advancement as both the MAN S90 main engine and the Wärtsilä W32 auxiliary engine are being converted to operate on methanol. Steel cutting began for the project.