According to ESG Today, this deal represents the largest offtake agreement for clean fuel in the shipping industry and the green methanol will enable Maersk's first 12 methanol-powered ships to begin low emissions operations.

Green methanol will enable Maersk to operate its upcoming fleet of 25 low-carbon, methanol-powered ships, for which the company placed the initial order back in 2021. Earlier in 2023, Maersk officials announced the plans to retrofit the first ship in the world to run on green methanol and if successful, this will continue with other retrofits, as well.

At the same time, the company has a net-zero goal for the year 2040 across all sectors and scopes, as well as a 50% reduction target per transported container by ocean and a 70% reduction of emissions across fully-controlled terminals by 2030.

Rabab Raafat Boulos, Chief Infrastructure Officer at Maersk, said that "the deal significantly de-risks the initial stages of Maersk’s net-zero journey and supports expectations for a competitive green methanol market towards 2030. The record-high volumes can annually propel more than half the methanol-enabled capacity Maersk currently has on order."

Goldwind will supply Maersk with bio-methanol and e-methanol produced with wind power exclusively, with the manufacturing process expected to begin in 2026.