HAMBURG: With the loading of the first retrofit propeller in the Port of Hamburg, Hapag-Lloyd is starting its comprehensive Fleet Upgrade Program aimed at the technical modernisation of its existing fleet.

The propeller, which has been optimised for energy efficiency by the German manufacturer MMG, will be installed on Hapag-Lloyd’s 7,500 TEU container vessel, Ningbo Express, in Dubai in September.

In this way, the ship is expected to save around 10-13% fuel and CO2 emissions, depending on sailing conditions.

Hapag-Lloyd plans to equip at least 86 ships with the new and more efficient propellers, while 36 vessels will receive a new flow-optimised bulbous bow.

It should be noted that during scheduled dry dock stays, a resistance-reducing coat of anti-fouling paint will also be applied to all vessels on the outer hull section below the waterline, according to the carrier’s announcement.

Hapag-Lloyd aims to have completed most of the measures by 2025. “We aim to be climate-neutral by 2045. To reach this goal, we have set ourselves the interim target of reducing the CO2 intensity of our own ships by 30% already by 2030. To do so, we are investing in new future-proof ships while simultaneously focusing on making our existing fleet fit for the future. The Fleet Upgrade Program will boost the energy efficiency of the entire fleet,” commented 

Dr. Maximilian Rothkopf, COO of Hapag-Lloyd.

The investment volume of the Fleet Upgrade Program will be in the three-digit million range. Together with the €2 billion order for 12 LNG ships placed two years ago, this large-scale measure demonstrates that Hapag-Lloyd is rigorously investing in sustainable, competitive ship operations for the long term.