Ane Mærsk, the world's first sizeable methanol-fuelled container ship operated by A.P. Moller–Merks, docked at EUROGATE Container Terminal Hamburg (CTH) on Thursday, March 28. The vessel, measuring 350 meters in length and 53.5 meters in width, has a capacity of up to 16,000 TEU. It is the first in a series of 18 methanol-capable ships, with capacities ranging between 16,000 and 17,000 standard containers (TEU), to be delivered to Maersk in 2024 and 2025. The arrival of this methanol-powered ship at the Port of Hamburg underscores the need for ports to have the necessary infrastructure and sufficient fuel quantities. These ships must plan their rotations to include ports that offer methanol bunkering. Angela Titzrath, President of the Central Association of German Seaport Companies (ZDS), stressed the importance of port infrastructure readiness in supporting the transition to greener energy sources. Despite the national port strategies for morning the need for investments in storage and bunkering capacities for alternative fuels, she expressed concerns about more funding for port infrastructure upgrades.

Titzrath explained, "Without sufficient investment in German ports, there will be no propulsion change in shipping and no energy transition in Germany. Ane Maersk shows that we have to implement the national port strategy quickly."

The National Port Strategy, adopted by the federal government last week, describes the ports as "pioneers for climate-neutral shipping". It calls for infrastructure operators to create early storage and bunkering capacities for alternative fuels and for the federal and state governments to ensure uniform nationwide framework conditions for dealing with new fuel types.

However, federal and state funding initiatives have not been formulated to upgrade port infrastructure to accommodate the energy transition and vessels like the Ane Maersk in German seaports. This lack of financial support has resulted in a backlog of investments, posing a significant challenge to achieving climate-neutral shipping and the overall energy transition in Germany.

The importation of energy sources such as LNG, methanol, or hydrogen, as well as the shipment of components for offshore wind farms, heavily relies on the adaptability of port facilities and hinterland connections, streamlined regulations, and optimized approval procedures.

The absence of adequate funding hampers these efforts, jeopardizing Germany's ability to meet its energy transition goals. Titzrath emphasized that achieving success in Germany's energy transition and the shift to climate-friendly shipping hinges on similar levels of political determination and the allocation of sufficient financial resources to drive necessary expansion and conversion projects, as seen during the 2022/2023 energy crisis when LNG terminals were swiftly approved. Corresponding infrastructure developments in ports and hinterland areas were executed unprecedentedly.