AP Møller-Mærsk provides seed donation of US$ 60.21mn to get started
Following new IMO 2020 guidelines and regulations, the shipping industry has made a strong commitment to reduce its global carbon emissions towards 2050.
Now a group of leading industry players is taking the next step to develop new fuel types and technologies by launching the Mærsk Mc-Kinney Møller Centre for Zero Carbon Shipping.
The founding company partners behind this initiative are ABS, AP Møller-Mærsk, Cargill, MAN Energy Solutions, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, NYK Line and Siemens Energy.
The Centre, which will be based in Copenhagen, Denmark, is made possible by a start-up donation of DKK 400mn (US$ 60.21mn) by the AP Møller Foundation.
Shipping pioneer
“Already in the 1980’s my father Mærsk Mc-Kinney Møller championed the use of low sulphur fuel, and he pioneered the first double hull oil tankers in the 1990s to minimize the risk of oil spills. Therefore, I find it very natural that my father’s name will be connected to the Centre,” noted Ane Uggla, Chairman of the Board in the AP Møller Foundation.
The Centre will be a non-profit organization, set up as a commercial foundation with a charitable purpose. As an independent research Centre, it will work across the entire shipping sector with industry, academia and authorities.
A highly specialized, cross-disciplinary team will collaborate globally to create overviews of decarbonization pathways, accelerate the development of selected decarbonizing fuels and powering technologies, and support the establishment of regulatory, financial and commercial means to enable transformation.
To define the strategic direction of the Centre, a Board of Directors is being established. Søren Skou, CEO, AP Møller–Mærsk has been confirmed as Board Member. Additional members of the Board of Directors will be announced upon appointment.
Decarbonization ambition
“The founding partners and the A.P. Møller Foundation share a long-term ambition to decarbonize the shipping industry. The establishment of the Centre is a quantum leap towards realizing that ambition,” emphasized Skou.
Furthermore, the Centre will have a Management Board, which will be headed by Bo Cerup-Simonsen as CEO of the Centre. “The Mærsk Mc-Kinney Møller Centre for Zero Carbon Shipping provides a solid platform for the entire eco-system to join forces, demonstrate new solutions and identify the next steps to make it happen,” observed Cerup-Simonsen.
The shipping sector accounts for around 3% of global carbon emissions. The industry has made a firm commitment to reduce this to zero within this century. Short-term measures related to increased energy efficiency are enabling a 40% relative reduction by 2030.
Achieving the long-term target requires new fuel types and a systemic change within the industry. As shipping is a globally regulated industry, there is opportunity to secure broad-based industry adoption of new technology and fuels.
To accelerate the development of viable technologies a coordinated effort within applied research is needed across the entire supply chain. Industry leaders play a critical role in ensuring that laboratory research is successfully matured to scalable solutions matching the needs of industry. At the same time, new legislation will be required to enable the transition towards decarbonization.
