Hapag-Lloyd has been selected as the successful bidder in the Zero Emission Maritime Buyers Alliance’s (ZEMBA) second tender for ocean shipping using hydrogen-derived e-methanol, the alliance announced on 17 December.

Under the agreement, ZEMBA members have committed to collectively reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at least 120,000 tonnes of CO₂e over a minimum three-year period, with Hapag-Lloyd expected to deliver the majority of the abatement volumes.

From 2027, the German container line will deploy e-methanol on a transoceanic trade lane using large methanol-dual-fuel container ships. The fuel will be produced using low-carbon hydrogen generated from renewable energy and is expected to achieve a lifecycle carbon intensity reduction of at least 90% compared with conventional high-emission marine fuels.

The award marks Hapag-Lloyd’s second consecutive success under the ZEMBA programme, following its selection in the alliance’s inaugural tender in 2024, which focused on biomethane deployment.

Rolf Habben Jansen, CEO of Hapag-Lloyd, stated: "At a time when sourcing scalable e-fuels remains a major challenge for the entire industry, winning the second ZEMBA tender is a significant milestone for us. Deploying e-methanol is an essential step in our journey to reach net-zero fleet operations by 2045."

Ingrid Irigoyen, President and CEO of ZEMBA, commented: "We applaud Hapag-Lloyd for their leadership and technical innovation in response to ZEMBA's pioneering market signal. Through collaboration across the maritime value chain, this partnership will enable rapid on-the-water deployment of vastly scalable, next-generation maritime fuels."

ZEMBA is a non-profit buyer alliance representing more than 45 cargo owners, including Amazon, IKEA and Nike. The group aims to accelerate the commercial uptake of zero-emission shipping by aggregating demand and supporting early deployment of next-generation marine fuels.

Hapag-Lloyd operates a fleet of 305 container ships with a total transport capacity of 2.5 million TEU.