The shipping industry annually emits one billion tons of CO2, or over 2% of the world’s total. Combating that problem is the Laura Maersk, the first container ship powered by green methanol (a low-carbon fuel), which made its maiden voyage in September. The ship was commissioned by Denmark’s Maersk, and manufactured by South Korea’s Hyundai Mipo Dockyard. Maersk already has 24 more such container ships on order, and the shipping industry has ordered another 100, including green methanol-powered ferries and cruise ships. Morten Bo Christiansen, head of energy transition for Maersk, says the shipping business has been historically fossil-fuel intensive and resistant to change, but now, “We’re seeing the industry step up to the plate.”
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