Hapag-Lloyd, Seaspan launch US$ 120M methanol retrofit initiative

German liner major Hapag-Lloyd and Canada-based containership owner Seaspan Corporation have entered into a partnership agreement to retrofit and convert five 10,100 TEU container ships powered by conventional MAN S90 engines to dual-fuel engines capable of operating on methanol.

Following the engine retrofit, the vessels will continue to be on long-term charter from Seaspan to Hapag-Lloyd.

Hapag-Lloyd estimates that the total investment will be around US$ 120 million for the five units.

“The methanol retrofit project is a further step in our ambitious sustainability agenda, which aims to achieve the decarbonisation of the entire fleet by 2045. By enabling these vessels to use green methanol as of 2026, we will meet our customers’ growing demand for green transportation solutions,” Dr. Maximilan Rothkopf, Hapag-Lloyd’s Chief Operating Officer (COO), said.

“With Seaspan, we benefit from a valued partner with deep experience, a wide supplier network, and scale.”

“Collaboration between strong and like-minded partners, Hapag-Lloyd and Seaspan, drives innovation. Retrofitting must be an integral part of the strategy if the container shipping industry wants to deliver on its decarbonisation targets,” Torsten Holst Pedersen, Chief Operating Officer (COO) of Seaspan, said.

The vessels scheduled for retrofits are the Seaspan Amazon, Seaspan Ganges, Seaspan Thames, Seaspan Yangtze, and Seaspan Zambezi. The retrofit is expected to take approximately 80-90 days per vessel starting in the first quarter of 2026.