Maersk and the U.S. Navy are testing algae-based biofuel on the container ship Maersk Kalmar. The ship has two key attributes that make it suitable for biofuel testing. The 300-meter-long vessel has a dedicated auxiliary test engine, which reduces the risks of testing, and its fuels system has a special biofuel blending equipment and separate tanks.
In October 2010, Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus visited Maersk headquarters in Copenhagen and learned of energy conservation initiatives across Maersk's fleet of more than 1,300 vessels. These programs fit well with the Navy's interests in increasing fuel efficiency and reducing emissions. The biofuels test is the first collaboration between Maersk and the Naval Sea Systems Command.
"The shipping industry needs to dramatically reduce greenhouse gas intensity in the coming decades. In the short term, we can gain a lot by focusing on improving fuel efficiency. In the longer term, we would like to see sustainable biofuels become a commercially available, low-carbon fuel," said Jacob Sterling, head of climate and environment at Maersk Line.
