By GMM News | 2025-11-16 | International Shipping News |

The Zero Emission Maritime Buyers Alliance (ZEMBA) has selected two shipping lines to deploy hydrogen-derived e-fuels in what marks a significant advancement in maritime decarbonization efforts.

Global container line Hapag-Lloyd and regional operator North Sea Container Line won ZEMBA’s second tender, announced Wednesday, enabling member companies to reduce ocean transport emissions through scalable alternative fuels.

According to ZEMBA, the deployment will cover an initial 20 billion tonne nautical miles of transport activity over three years, with some members extending to five years, resulting in at least approximately 120,000 metric tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions abated starting in 2027. Member companies participating in the initiative include Amazon, Patagonia, Tchibo, Beiersdorf, Brooks Running, IKEA, Nike, and others.

Under the arrangement, Hapag-Lloyd will deploy e-methanol on large methanol dual-fuel containerships operating on trans-oceanic lanes, while North Sea Container Line will deploy the world’s first e-ammonia-powered containership serving a northern European trade lane. Both fuels will be produced using low-carbon hydrogen from renewable energy sources and are designed to deliver a carbon intensity reduction of at least 90% on a lifecycle basis compared to conventional high-emission fuel.

“We applaud Hapag-Lloyd and North Sea Container Line’s leadership, collaboration, and innovation, as well as the quality of their offerings in response to ZEMBA’s pioneering market signal,” said Ingrid Irigoyen, President and CEO of ZEMBA. “This voluntary private sector initiative remains on track to invest in rapid on-the-water deployment of vastly scalable, next-generation maritime fuels.”

The award comes just days after Hapag-Lloyd ordered eight dual-fuel methanol containerships at Chinese shipbuilder CIMC Raffles to in a deal valued at more than USD 500 million, marking the company’s first newbuild project utilizing the fuel. The 4,500 TEU vessels are scheduled for delivery in 2028 and 2029, and will feature state-of-the-art dual-fuel methanol engines capable of achieving up to 30 percent greater efficiency than older ships in the same size class. When operating on methanol propulsion, the fleet is expected to save up to 350,000 metric tons of CO2e annually.

Hapag-Lloyd’s current fleet includes 37 dual-fuel LNG ships either in operation or planned, with the ability to also run on biomethane.

“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,” said Rolf Habben Jansen, CEO of Hapag-Lloyd.

Bente Hetland, CEO of North Sea Container Line, expressed similar commitment. “We are proud to be awarded together with Hapag-Lloyd the ZEMBA tender, reaffirming NCL’s commitment to shaping the future of sustainable logistics. With a dedicated product for ZEMBA’s members who are ready to drive real change, NCL will continue to push the transition towards next generation maritime fuels.”

This second procurement follows ZEMBA’s inaugural tender in 2024, which focused on waste-based biomethane and was also awarded to Hapag-Lloyd. The latest tender specifically targets hydrogen-derived e-fuels to kickstart a new market for scalable, low-carbon alternatives essential for achieving an economically viable maritime clean energy transition.

The announcement reinforces the role of credible, third-party verified book and claim chain of custody systems in activating early voluntary corporate demand for new technology solutions. ZEMBA continues its partnership with Katalist, the first nonprofit maritime book and claim system, to enable demand from buyers worldwide to flow to suppliers ready for deployment regardless of geographic constraints.

ZEMBA, which serves as a first-of-its-kind buyers group within the maritime sector, aims to accelerate commercial deployment of clean energy-powered shipping and enable economies of scale beyond what individual freight buyers could accomplish alone. The Aspen Institute Energy and Environment Program serves as the ZEMBA secretariat, with technical and legal support provided by the Center for Green Market Activation, Lloyd’s Register Maritime Decarbonisation Hub, and law firm Pillsbury.

The alliance expects to finalize the full measurable impact of its second tender in 2026 as existing and new members complete contracting with the winning carriers.