Maersk has partnered with Chinese bioenergy enterprise Debo on the quest to boost global production capacity.

The parties have signed a Letter of Intent covering Debo’s plans to develop a bio-methanol project for Maersk in China with capacity of 200,000 tonnes per year to start commercial operation by fall 2024.

The feedstock for the green bio-methanol will be agricultural residues. Maersk intends to offtake the full volume produced.

Berit Hinnemann, Head of Green Fuels Sourcing, A.P. Moller - Maersk, said: 

"Maersk has set an ambitious end-to-end net-zero goal for 2040 and the availability of green methanol at scale is critical to our fleet’s transition to sustainable energy. Partnerships across ecosystems and geographies are essential for the scale-up needed in order to make meaningful progress on this agenda already in this decade. Therefore, we are delighted to welcome Debo on this journey."

Zhang Shoujun, Chairman and General Manager, Debo, said: 

"The use of green methanol as marine fuel to replace the existing fossil fuel is groundbreaking in the container shipping history and will strongly promote the development of green shipping. It is a great honor for Debo to work with A.P. Moller - Maersk to promote the commercialization of the green methanol industrial chain. I firmly believe that through the cooperation, we are able to realize the commercial production and industrial conversion of green methanol and contribute to reduce greenhouse gas emissions."