News / Hapag-Lloyd unveils Strategy 2030, with $120m retrofit plan for 'greener' fleet

Photo: VesselFinder

Hapag-Lloyd and non-operating shipowner Seaspan have announced a $120m investment to retrofit five 10,000 teu vessels to run on methanol.

Sister ships Seaspan Amazon, Seaspan Ganges, Seaspan Thames, Seaspan Yangtze and Seaspan Zambezi were built in 2014 and equipped with MAN S90 engines that burn conventional fuel, but will be converted to dual-fuel engines capable of switching to methanol.

The project will launch in the first quarter of 2026, with the retrofitting process expected to take 80-90 days per ship. Following the retrofit, the vessels will continue to be on long-term charter from Seaspan to Hapag-Lloyd, the German carrier said.

“The methanol retrofit project is a further step in our ambitious sustainability agenda, which aims to achieve the decarbonisation of the entire fleet by 2045,” said Hapag-Lloyd chief operating officer Maximilan Rothkopf.

Torsten Holst Pedersen, Seaspan’s COO, added, “Collaboration between strong and like-minded partners Hapag-Lloyd and Seaspan drives innovation. Retrofitting must be an integral part of the strategy if the container shipping industry wants to deliver on its decarbonisation targets.”

“Sustainability driver” was one of the five key pillars of Hapag-Lloyd’s Strategy 2030 plan, unveiled at its Hamburg HQ yesterday, the carrier saying it was “committed to reducing absolute greenhouse gas emissions by around one-third by 2030 and achieving net-zero fleet operations by 2045… through a range of measures, including fleet modernisation, new propulsion technologies and the use of alternative fuels”.

The four other pillars are: remaining a leading carrier in the digitisation process; being the leading carrier for schedule reliability, with an 80%-plus on-time delivery target; cementing its position as a top-five global carrier, in terms of deployed capacity; and continuing with a “pure-play-plus” model that see a focus on container shipping, terminal development and likely a greater penetration of inland transport operations.

“We operate in a very dynamic industry marked by shifting customer needs, so a resilient strategy is essential,” said Rolf Habben Jansen, CEO of Hapag-Lloyd.

“Strategy 2030 positions us to thrive and lead as one of the top global container lines. With it, we will not only enhance the value we deliver to our customers and partners, but also make a meaningful contribution to the decarbonisation of our industry,” he added.