Hapag-Lloyd Begins Major Green Fleet Upgrade Program

German container shipping group Hapag-Lloyd announced it has begun a comprehensive five-year fleet upgrade program to improve the energy efficiency of ifs containership fleet. The program will require an investment "in the three-digit million range", Hapag-Lloyd said.

The company said at least 86 of its ships will be equipped with new and more efficient propellers. The first to be upgraded, the 7,500 TEU Ningbo Express, will receive a new propeller optimized for energy efficiency by the German manufacturer MMG, to be installed in Dubai in September. As a result, Hapag-Lloyd expects the ship's fuel burn and CO2 emissions will be reduced by 10% to 13%, depending on sailing conditions.

At the same time, 36 vessels will receive new, flow-optimized bulbous bows. During the scheduled dry dock stays, resistance-reducing antifouling coatings will be applied to all vessels on the part of the exterior hull beneath the waterline.

Most of the fleet upgrades will be carried out by 2025 as the company continues to work toward achieving its climate targets, Hapag-Lloyd said.

“We aim to be climate-neutral by 2045. To reach this goal, we have set ourselves the interim target of reducing the CO2 intensity of our own ships by 30% 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,” said Dr. Maximilian Rothkopf, COO of Hapag-Lloyd AG.