International container shipping giant, Maersk, has announced it will trial a 50-50 ethanol-methanol fuel blend so as to diversify its low-emission fuel base.
The 50-50 trial will take place aboard the container ship Laura Maersk, a dual-fuel vessel.
Back in October-November, Maersk tested a 10-90 ethanol-methanol blend in the same ship. “The goal is to understand how ethanol performs in our dual-fuel engines and whether it can become part of our future fuel mix,” a company statement said at the time, adding that the company would be looking at factors such as ignition, combustion, lubricity, and emissions.
That trial confirmed that a 10-90 mix of ethanol-methanol (both substances are types of alcohol and have similar properties) performed safely and with strong engine performance.
“Ethanol has a proven track record with an established market and existing infrastructure and offers an additional pathway for decarbonisation. By gradually increasing ethanol content, we gain valuable insights into engine performance and combustion impacts, informing fuel sourcing potential,” Emma Mazhari, Head of Energy Markets at Maersk said in a statement.
The ethanol applied for the tests is anhydrous ethanol, the same type of ethanol currently applied for blending into gasoline in several countries around the globe. The US is the largest ethanol producer in the world, followed by Brazil. The two comprise 80% of the world market.
“Ethanol is produced from biomass such as corn or sugar cane. It is important to ensure that the specific type of ethanol used does not directly or indirectly contribute to land conversion and deforestation and does not compete with food and feed. Maersk is in the process of assessing the potential role of selecting first-generation, crop-based fuels such as ethanol in our transitional fuel mix. This review is being conducted under robust sustainability criteria covering lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions, traceability, certification standards, and responsible sourcing practices,” the company said in a statement.
Maersk is also planning to carry out a trial using 100% ethanol.
