Hapag-Lloyd Secures Green Methanol Supply to Cut Emissions

German shipping company Hapag-Lloyd has signed an agreement with Beijing-based Goldwind for the annual supply of 250,000 tonnes of green methanol. This sustainable fuel, comprising a mix of bio-methanol and e-methanol, is expected to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by at least 70%, according to the company.

“As part of our Strategy 2030, we are fully committed to the 1.5-degree target of the Paris Agreement and therefore also to sustainable investments. With the agreement, we are securing a significant proportion of our requirements for green fuels. This will bring us an important step closer to our goal of achieving net-zero fleet operations by 2045. It is and remains our ambition to play a leading role in the transformation of the liner shipping industry,” said Rolf Habben Jansen, CEO of Hapag-Lloyd.

Hapag-Lloyd has set a target to cut its fleet's absolute GHG emissions by about one-third by 2030, compared to 2022 levels. The green methanol supplied through this agreement could prevent up to 400,000 tonnes of CO2e emissions per year from fleet operations, based on the company’s estimates.

Goldwind plans to construct a new green methanol facility near its existing operations in Hinggan League, China, to meet this supply. Initial volumes are expected to be delivered as early as 2026.

From next year, Hapag-Lloyd will also partner with Maersk, which has its own green methanol supply deal with Goldwind, further bolstering the industry's shift toward sustainable fuel options.