Ørsted and ESVAGT plan methanol-fuelled SOV

The SOV will be powered by batteries and dual-fuel engines, capable of sailing on renewable e-methanol, produced from wind energy and biogenic carbon, which will lead to a yearly emission reduction of approx. 4,500 tonnes of CO2. Ørsted intends to supply the e-methanol.

ESVAGT will start building the vessel in the second quarter of 2022. Once commissioned by the end of 2024, the SOV will start servicing the world’s largest offshore wind farm, Hornsea 2, off the UK’s east coast.

An offshore wind farm already has 99% lower emissions than a coal fired power station, seen over the entire lifetime of the asset, including production, construction, and installation, and the companies say that the new vessel will be a step on the way towards mitigating the remaining emissions.

The decision to invest in the new green fuel SOV supports Ørsted’s target of becoming carbon-neutral in its energy generation and own operations by 2025 and is a tangible example of the company’s decarbonisation journey towards its science-based target of reaching net-zero emissions across the full value chain by 2040. Ørsted is the first energy company in the world with a science-based net-zero target, validated by Science Based Targets initiative.

Ørsted has implemented a systematic approach for reducing emissions from its offshore logistics through efficiency initiatives, including route optimisations and sailing at fuel-saving speeds. Ørsted has also implemented light hybrid crew transfer vessels for increased fuel efficiency.

Over the past two years, Ørsted has built up a diverse portfolio of green fuel projects, three of which focus on producing e-methanol for maritime transport. The portfolio includes a newly announced project on the US Gulf Coast, which will supply 300,000 tonnes of e-methanol for A.P. Moller – Maersk’s fleet of zero-emissions vessels, as well as the projects Green Fuels for Denmark and FlagshipONE in Sweden. Both projects can supply around 50,000 tonnes of e-methanol for shipping in 2024-2025.

Main particulars – Methanol-fuelled SOV