The ship set sail from Ulsan, South Korea, and is heading to Copenhagen, Denmark, for its name-giving ceremony. It will unload the containers in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, on the way to a Bestseller distribution centre.
The bio-methanol that powers the new Maersk Eco Delivery vessel is sourced from bio-mass waste, resulting in a lower carbon footprint than traditional fossil fuels.
Allan Kyhe Kjærgaard, logistics director at Bestseller, says: "We’re happy to be part of the maiden voyage of the world’s first methanol power container vessel. Bestseller is preparing for a more circular future and applauds partners like Maersk who are making the necessary investments in technology to lower carbon emissions in the global supply chain."
Following Bestseller's investment in Maersk Eco Delivery for ocean transport has helped it avoid 37,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions since.
Bestseller points out that without the partnership, the fashion brand's total logistics emissions in 2021-22 would have been higher by more than 20%.
Stig Kirkegaard, area head of sales in Scandinavia at AP Moller-Maersk, adds: "We see alternative fuels, such as biofuels and green methanol, are the only viable solutions today to significantly reduce the emissions footprint from ocean shipping. This solution allows ambitious customers like Bestseller to reduce their environmental impact immediately, stay competitive in their markets, and thereby cater to their customers' needs."
Kirkegaard believes this choice also contributes to the needed transformation of the logistics industry, by moving away from fossil fuels, and towards low-emission alternatives.
In addition to this, Bestseller says it will make greater efforts to reduce direct emissions from the production of raw materials and manufacturing, where the fashion brand highlights the largest impact lies.
