Shipping company A.P. Moller-Maersk is investing heavily in fleet renewal and plans to acquire up to 50-60 vessels capable of operating on dual fuel types, including liquefied natural gas (LNG) and methanol. 

LNG is natural gas that has been reduced to liquid state, through process of cooling. Since 2010, the number of vessels fueled by the natural gas has grown between 20% and 40% yearly, according to SEA-LNG. 

According to Maerks, the new fleets will be a mix of owned and chartered, in order to ensure that the company maintains a "strong financial and operational flexibility while continuing to own a significant part of its strategic tonnage." 

In line with Maersk's commitment to decarbonization, all vessels will be dual-fuel with the intent to operate on low emission fuel. 

The exact split of propulsion technologies will be determined considering the future regulatory framework and green fuels supply and approximately 300,000 twenty-foot equivalent unit (TEU) will be owned capacity and the remaining 500,000 TEU is planned through time-charter agreements.

both owned and chartered dual-fuel vessels will equal to 800,000 TEU.

According to Rabab Boulos, Chief Operating Officer at Maersk, the choice to expand can be attributed to shipyard orderbooks filling up quickly and lead time for vessel deliveries increasing significantly.