Maersk has confirmed the first commercial ship-to-ship ethanol bunkering of a deep-sea container vessel in the United States, supplying Tangier Maersk with US-produced corn ethanol.
The company confirmed the operation on 28 September. Tangier Maersk is a dual-fuel, alcohol-enabled container vessel, and the fuel supplied was 100 per cent US-produced corn ethanol.
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According to Maersk, the operation provided practical experience of the infrastructure, sourcing, supply chain and operational requirements associated with using ethanol as a marine fuel.
The company said ethanol has an established production base and existing infrastructure, alongside compatibility with alcohol-enabled vessel technology. However, wider deployment would also depend on fuel availability, regulation and operational readiness throughout the maritime supply chain.
Ditlev Blicher, Maersk Regional President for North America, said: “This bunkering operation aboard Tangier Maersk provides valuable real-world experience with alternative fuels in commercial shipping.”
The operation follows earlier ethanol trials aboard Laura