Shipping Giant Maersk Looks to Batteries to Cut Carbon Footprint

Batteries have helped automobiles go green over the past decade when it comes to reducing their carbon footprint, but in the maritime sector, needs for much more power have made it a difficult area for battery adoption.

That may soon be changing.

In a November 6 press release, the world’s largest freight shipping liner, Maersk, said it will pilot a battery system aimed at improving both vessel performance and reliability while reducing CO2 emissions. In December, a containerized 600 kWh marine battery system will be installed in a trial on board the 4,500 twenty-foot equivalent unit (TEU) Maersk Cape Town.

“This trial will provide a greater understanding of energy storage that will support Maersk in moving towards further electrification of its fleet and port terminals,” explained Maersk COO Søren Toft in the release. “Maersk will continue to facilitate, test, and develop low-carbon solutions on our journey to become carbon neutral by 2050.”

The news comes 11 months after Maersk pledged its 2050 total decarbonization goal. At that time, it stated that carbon neutral vessels must be commercially available by 2030 to meet that goal.

In the November 6 release, the company noted that propelling marine vessels with battery power alone is “still years away from being a technically- and economically-viable option, but that marine battery systems can improve the efficiency of onboard electrical systems, such as the Maersk Cape Town’s generators. Maersk said by maintaining the vessel’s auxiliary generators at a more optimal load, and avoiding running generators when not needed, the company can reduce overall fuel consumption.

The battery system will additionally support the generators with up to 1,800 kVA of power during rapid changes in electrical load, such as thruster operation, with the battery capable of reducing generator maintenance requirements. The battery system is also capable of providing redundant power, which can improve reliability at sea by ensuring continuous power supply.

“This exciting pilot — the first of its kind in the industry — will show the potential of battery technologies to keep improving the performance of our vessels while also reducing fuel consumption in our non-propulsion electrical systems,” said Ole Graa, Maersk head of fleet technology.

The marine battery system was manufactured in Odense, Denmark by system integrator and turnkey supplier Trident Maritime Systems. The battery system will be shortly transported to Singapore and installed onboard the Maersk Cape Town.