Maersk Names Fourth Methanol-Fueled ULCV at Port of LA

In a ceremony Tuesday at the Port of Los Angeles, Maersk christened the first boxship powered by green methanol to ever make a transpacific crossing. 

The newly-named Alette Maersk is Maersk's fourth 16,000 TEU dual-fuel methanol container ship, and was delivered in South Korea earlier this year. She arrived to offload cargo at the Port of LA on August 26, then transferred to a pier in the San Pedro Outer Harbor for the naming ceremony Tuesday. Sportswear giant Nike co-hosted the event, and Nike-sponsored snowboarder and two-time Olympic gold medalist Chloe Kim served as the ship's sponsor. It was Maersk's second methanol-vessel christening in two weeks, following the naming ceremony for sister ship Antonia Maersk in Aarhus, Denmark.

Alette Maersk will use conventional VLSFO for the voyage back to East Asia, as the fuel supply chain for green methanol is still in development in the United States. Maersk executives used the event to advocate for low-carbon regulations in order to kick-start the green fuel market.

"Our new series of dual-fuel vessels is a start, but it’s not a sustainable solution. We need immediate, coordinated action across all industries. By 2030, we aim to transport 25% of our ocean cargo using low-emissions fuel. But achieving this target requires systemic change. We urgently need regulation that makes green fuels viable and affordable," said Maersk CEO Vincent Clerc in remarks at the ceremony. 

Maersk had originally planned to offer public tours of the new vessel on Wednesday, but canceled after it received early warning of a planned protest, according to the local Daily Breeze. The protest's organizers want Maersk to cease carrying all weapons and weapons components worldwide in hopes of disrupting the supply of American-made defense systems to Israel. 

As of Wednesday night, Alette Maersk was under way once again, bound for Tacoma.