Hapag-Lloyd’s dual-fuel ship reaches Jebel Ali Port

Jebel Ali Port welcomed Hapag-Lloyd’s Berlin Express ultra-large dual-fuel container ship on its maiden voyage, reinforcing its commitment to innovation and sustainability in the shipping industry.

The Berlin Express is a state-of-the-art vessel with a capacity of 23,600 TEU. It is the first of 12 dual-fuel vessels ordered by the shipping line which will run on Liquified Natural Gas (LNG), producing significantly lower emissions than traditional marine diesel.

The arrival is a significant milestone for Jebel Ali Port, further solidifying its position as a global trade hub, providing unmatched connectivity to over 180 shipping lines and market access to more than 3.5 billion consumers worldwide.

Vessels are now typically equipped with dual-fuel engines that can operate on both gas and conventional fuel. The Berlin Express primarily runs on LNG, an important transition fuel on Hapag-Lloyd’s journey to climate-neutral shipping. The dual-fuel technology enables Hapag-Lloyd to consider the use of bio- or synthetic fuels, like e-methane, in the future.

In general terms, the use of LNG can reduce carbon emissions by up to 25%, and sulphur dioxide and fine particulate emissions by more than 90%.

Hapag-Lloyd will operate the Berlin Express between the Far East and the Arabian Gulf. It will then be transferred to its permanent route, the Far East Loop — between China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Singapore, Spain, Belgium, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, and Germany.