Shipping giant sees biofuels in its future

A.P. Moeller Maersk, the world’s biggest container ship owner, is leading its industry in developing biofuels made from organic waste that could cut its carbon emissions and reduce a $6 billion annual fuel bill. Maersk is conducting tests with two Danish universities to develop clean fuels tailored for ships and has worked with the U.S. Navy to run vessels using fuel produced from algae, encountering “very few problems,” said Jacob Sterling, head of climate and environment at Maersk, based in Copenhagen, Denmark. “The beauty of biofuels is that they work with the engines as they are today,” he said. “There is a very, very strong link between reducing emissions and reducing costs.” The efforts represent some of the most advanced work in the shipping industry to restrain greenhouse gases as the European Union works to broaden its carbon cap-and-trade system. Shipping accounts for about 3.3 percent of CO2 emissions, said Drewry Shipping Consultants. That’s more than the 2 percent to 3 percent produced by airlines, now included in the EU rules. Maersk is a “front runner” among companies seeking to drive down pollution, said Ana Davila Martinez, consultant for corporate distribution and logistics at Heineken. The Dutch brewer is among brands including Adidas, Wal-Mart Stores and Volkswagen that select their shipping supplier based on sustainability, Sterling said. More…

News selected by Covalence | Country: Global | Company: A.P. Moeller Maersk, Adidas, Wal-Mart Stores, Volkswagen | Source: journalgazette.net