With the loading of the first retrofit propeller in the Port of Hamburg, Hapag-Lloyd is launching its Fleet Upgrade Program. The goal is to technically modernise the existing fleet. In addition to propellers, the container liner will also fit some of its ships with a new, flow-optimised bulbous bow.
The first new propeller, which has been optimised for energy efficiency by the German manufacturer MMG, will be installed on Hapag-Lloyd’s 7500 TEU Ningbo Express in Dubai in September. As a result, the ship is expected to save between ten and thirteen per cent of fuel and CO2 emissions, depending on the sailing condition. In total, there are plans to equip at least 86 ships with the new and more efficient propellers.
At the same time, 36 vessels will receive the new, flow-optimised bulbous bow. During the scheduled dry dock stays, a resistance-reducing coat of anti-fouling paint will also to be applied to all vessels on the part of the exterior hull beneath the waterline.
Most of the measures will be carried out by 2025 and make a significant contribution to helping the company to achieve its climate targets.
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Climate-neutral by 2045
‘We aim to be climate-neutral by 2045,’ says Dr. Maximilian Rothkopf, COO of Hapag-Lloyd. ‘To reach this goal, we have set ourselves the interim target of reducing the CO2 intensity of our own ships by thirty per cent already by 2030. To do so, we are investing in new future-proof ships while simultaneously focusing on making our existing fleet fit for the future. The Fleet Upgrade Program will boost the energy efficiency of the entire fleet.’
The investment volume of the Fleet Upgrade Program will be in the three-digit million range, according to Hapag-Lloyd. The investment comes on top of the 2-billion-euro order for twelve LNG ships placed two years ago.
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