Maersk Tests Methanol-Ethanol Blend Aboard Laura Maersk

Danish shipping giant Maersk has begun onboard fuel trials using a methanol-ethanol blend as part of its push to develop cleaner, more sustainable fuel solutions for global shipping.

The company’s 2,100 TEU vessel Laura Maersk - the world’s first container ship to run on green methanol when it entered service in 2023 - is now being used as a test platform for the new E10 fuel blend.

This experimental fuel consists of 10% ethanol mixed with 90% methanol, commonly referred to as e-methanol. The trial aims to evaluate ethanol’s performance in dual-fuel marine engines and its potential role in Maersk’s future decarbonization strategy.

During the test, engineers will monitor ignition quality, combustion behavior, lubricity, NOx emissions, and other operational characteristics to compare performance between pure methanol and the E10 blend.

Peter Normark Sørensen, Maersk’s senior fuel transition manager, explained that blending ethanol and methanol could expand sourcing flexibility for dual-fuel vessels. “The reason for blending it is to enlarge the availability and the sourcing pool for dual-fuel vessels,” Sørensen said.

The E10 supply onboard is expected to last for approximately one to one and a half months, after which Maersk will determine the next steps for further testing.

Sørensen noted that Laura Maersk serves as an ideal platform for small-scale trials before potentially rolling out similar experiments across other dual-fuel ships in the company’s fleet.