First steel was cut on prefabricated blocks for the conversion of the 14,000 TEU Maersk Halifax to dual-fuel methanol propulsion in a ceremony at the Chinese shipyard held on 8 March, according to Seatrade Maritime.
Prefabrication work is being carried out ahead of the planned arrival of the Maersk Halifax in early July. The vessel is expected to spend around three months in the yard for repair and conversion work.
MAN Energy Solutions CEO Dr Uwe Lauber told Seatrade Maritime News recently that it expects to be able to carry out 50 retrofits annually worldwide, moving up to 70 – 80 per year if it has the resources. The company also has a contract with Cosco Shipping to retrofit four container ships with methanol dual-fuel engines.
Maersk is pioneering the use of methanol as fuel in large containerships and the 16,000 TEU Ane Maersk was named at HD Hyundai Heavy Industries in late January this year. The vessel is the first in a series of 18 large methanol enabled newbuildings ordered by Maersk.